


Arcanum

by PotatoSlayer



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 16:06:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 58
Words: 77,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18502363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatoSlayer/pseuds/PotatoSlayer





	1. Carolynn; A Wild Girl

Ikebukuro.

A wild town.  A town that never sleeps.  Every day something new happens that shakes it off its foundation.

Carolynn pulled out her phone and look ed  at the screen.  Two messages and one missed call – none of which she planned to return.  She wore a dark leather coat, hiding her gun and knife tied to her back.   Ikebukuro was the kind of town that called for that kind of protection – for just a normal citizen.  Especially her and downtown.  Dressed the rest of the way in just as dark clothes, she strutted off the subway, her thick heals clicking against the grate underfoot.  Her usually wild red hair  was  pushed back – except for a few strands – by a headband.  Her own, matching crimson red eyes were covered by dark sunglasses that rested on the tip of her nose, allowing them to be seen if needed.

She stopped.  No one else was getting off at this station at two in the morning.  How extremely intelligent of them.  But one guy was there. The same boy that was there every single day she got off.  He had short, spiky black hair, maroon colored eyes, a devious smile, and a very unique fur-lined hoodie.

And just like always, his menacing gaze was pointed on her alone.

The subway took off.

“Still waiting for you train?”  Carolynn questioned him.

The guy raised one eyebrow tauntingly.  “Yep.  It’s late as always.”

“So why do you keep showing up early?”  Carolynn challenged.

“Why the interrogation?”  The guy leaned back on the wall, hands in his pockets.  “I’m not the one you’re out to catch this time, am I, Car-car?”

Carolynn winced at her childhood nickname.  “You know I hate when you call me that…”  However, he was more than aware that she was an undercover cop.  So far, he’d always been good about keeping her secret and never once even threatened to use it against her.  “Izaya Orihara…you make it challenging to keep you off the suspect list.”

“Why try so hard?  Maybe I  _ am _  the criminal.”   Izaya offered.

“I know when you’re lying all too well.”  Carolynn retorted.

“Do you now…?”

Carolynn stiffened but didn’t respond.

“Hmph.  So what are you looking for this time?  Another dirty little human?”

“Yeah.  Sorry to take your afternoon snack away.  I know you like munching on just those kinds of people in the afternoon.”  Carol’s voice was almost an animal growl.

“You’ve become so cold.”  Izaya stepped off the wall and moved towards her.  “Is that what being an officer of the law does to you?  Why endure it?  I miss my cute little daredevil…”

“Those days are over, Orihara.  Behave yourself or eventually I’ll have to take you in myself!  Why do you insist on being in the middle of every  case.   It makes you look bad and me bad for defending you.”

“It lets me see you.”

Carolynn felt herself falter at his words.  “Shut up!  Don’t play games with me!”

“Who’s playing?  I think you are.  Stop trying to be a good girl.  We both know it’s just not you.”

“Izaya!”  Carolynn screamed and tried to turn to hit him.

He jumped backwards.

The subway soared on by.

He grabbed the railing of the train doors.

He and the subway were both gone in an instant.

She forced her heart to calm back down.  “Stupid show off…”  She growled and walked out of the station and into the night of the city.  It was quiet compared to daytime, but there was still several people going between work and home at this time.

It shouldn’t surprise her.  This is what always happened when she was on case.  It didn’t matter what it was.  Last week’s murder case, or this week’s missing child case.  It’s just the way it’s always been between them.

Carolynn and Izaya went to the same school but rarely conversed much as friends.  As time went on, Izaya developed the habit of messing with peoples’ emotions like they were the new hottest toys – and Carolynn had always been his primary target.  It’s  a  wonder she wasn’t traumatized by the things he did.  He knew her better than anyone should, even herself.  Because of this, he was good at man ipulating her to get just what  he wanted.

She stumbled along towards the local park.  It looked strangely creepy this late at night, but she brushed it off.  She was a cop, those kinds of things shouldn’t phase her anymore.  She was a big girl now.   She dropped down on one of the swings and looked up to the city lights.

Why, knowing that all he was doing was using her, did she still defend him?  Several cases had come around in which Izaya could have easily been pinned as the primary suspect, but time and time again, she dug him out and kept the police off his tail, at the cost of her own neck.  Then again, sometimes he wasn’t innocent and that only made her look even worse.  But  still she worked her ass off to keep her  job.  She did it well and every one knew it.  That’s why she hadn’t been fired yet.

At least Izaya had n’t  done anything major…yet.  As long as he didn’t, then no harm, no foul.  She couldn’t deny though, that it made her sad to watch him, every day, slip further and further into a darkness that she couldn’t follow him into.  He’d changed from the cute little kid that he used to be.

A loud noise made her jump and nearly fall out of her swing.  A vending machine flew through the sky and across the light of the moon.  It had to have been S hizuo Hiwajima.  Carol couldn’t  help laughing despite herself.  He was a crazy character and he and his girlfriend were always good for kicks.  She’d actually become quite close with Hiedi and would often meet her for dinner when Shizuo was off…well…terrorizing people and she was off work.

But tonight, that flying vending machine wasn’t as funny as it usually is.  Because, of course, it wa sn’t  the first time it had flown.  No, tonight, it was like the arrow of a mouse clicking on an icon on your computer screen.  She stood out that much against the night.  A little girl was standing on the edge of the roof top of the building that had been intercepted from sight by the vending machine.

Izaya was on the rooftop as well.

It clicked instantly.  She was the missing child.  She was a victim that had gotten sucked into another one of Izaya’s disastrous, sometimes cruel plots.

Without wasting another moment, she launched herself off the swings and ran.  She had to make it to the roof before the girl jumped.  The disaster played before her eyes and her adrenalin pumped that much harder.

As she got closer, Izaya’s laughter filled the air.  She plowed through the front door of the building and rammed into the stairwell door with such force she nearly ripped it off its hinges.

She heard each stomp of her heel echo back into her ears as she ran as fast as she could.  Her thighs were throbbing by the time she got to the fourth story and then finally the roof.

She plowed through the door.

The girl leaned.

Carol screamed.

Izaya turned, his smile fading to a look of horror.

Carol leapt after the falling girl, right over the edge.

She heard Izaya’s fading voice calling her name.

As she fell, she saw him lean over the roof, shouting at her.

Everything blurred as she circled her arms around the younger girl and held her tight, trying to turn in air so that she would be the one to hit the ground instead of her.

A warm feeling crawled over her skin and she felt the dark energy that she’d felt before wrap around her body and gently set her down on the ground before she crashed into the concrete.  Without spending an extra moment, she set the little girl down and got back to her feet, barely giving the black biker any notice.  She glared at Izaya who stared at her with wide eyes.

After a moment of staring at each other, realization finally crawled into his eyes.

“What have you done!?”  Carol screamed.  “She could have died!”

Izaya paused before saying back.  “It would have been suicide.”

Carol drew her gun.  “Then it was attempted assisted suicide!  You didn’t even try to stop her!  In fact, you provoked her!  I can’t stand down anymore Izaya!  I swore that if you took it too far, I’d put our past behind us and I’d turn you in!  I think putting other peoples’ lives in danger qualifies as ‘too far’!”

“Put that down.”  Izaya ordered calmly.  “You wouldn’t fire it at me.”

“This has to stop, Izaya.  I don’t want to become your enemy…I kept hoping you’d change.  Don’t make me do this.”  She held fast.

“Then get rid of the badge.”

She put pressure on the trigger.  “Izaya…”

“You wouldn’t…”

“I won’t miss.  Izaya.  Give up and come down here…”  Carol ordered.

“Hey now, Car-car, what’s gotten – “

She pulled the trigger.

The bullet whizzed by his cheek.

Blood splatted across his cheek from the new cut under his eye.  

He gasped and backed up.

He stared a moment…and then ran away.

Carol collapsed to her knees.  “Izaya…what’s happened to you…?  Why did you have to make me do this…?”  She felt the tears escape and she threw the gun aside.


	2. Carolynn; A Hopeful Older Sister

It had been about a week since that accident.  Carolynn didn’t go to that subway station anymore.  She didn’t even know if Izaya would still be waiting for her there, but she didn’t want to chance it.  She couldn’t stand facing him…not now.

Today, she was taking a break at the local Starbucks.  It had been a while, but she was really hoping to see her sister for the first time in a few months.  She had gone to college while Carolynn went straight to the Police Academy and became a full-time worker within almost a year.

“Starbucks?  How cliché.” 

Carolynn jumped when she heard her sister’s voice.  She turned in her chair to see the familiar bob of white-blonde hair.  She had bright baby blue eyes that were always soft, kind, and motherly.  Then the bell sun-dress helped with her overall ‘innocent-child’ look.  But she sure was a sight that could always take a person’s breath away.

“What are you saying,  Belle ?” Carolynn laughed.

Belle  rolled her eyes, making her eyes sparkle.  “We used to come here all of the time with our friends, Carol.”

Belle  and Carol didn’t have a relationship like most sisters.  In fact, they were absolute best friends.  They never argued much and seemed to always get along with the same people.  Carol sipped her coffee and sighed.  “You know me and my caffeine.  It’s been a while since I’d had some and I was b eginning to go through withdraw s.”

Belle  pointed a finger at her.  “You’re going to  die early from drinking too much of that shit, ya know that?”

Carol smirked.  “Whatever, I’m still running strong.  So how is college?”

Belle  finally collapsed and let her head fall on the table.  “Horrible!  I hate most of my classes!  I just want to get a vet degree and move on with my life!  I have been going to school for three years now and I’ve only touched like…two animals.”

“Sick.”

“Oh my god, Carol, grow up!  You know what I mean.”   Belle  swished her water bottle around in a circle.  “I’ve treated two cuts.  One on a dog, one on a cat.  That’s it.”

“That really sucks.”  Carol told her, leaning back in her chair.

“It does.”  Belle yawned.  “But the thing is, I’m gonna be here in Ikebukuro for a while. ”

“Why?”  Carol asked, arching a brow.

Belle smiled.  “There’s a local vet clinic.  The vet there wants to take on  an  apprentice and I was the top student in the class so I got the job.”

Carol grinned and held her fist out.  “That’s my  girl.”  After Belle knuckle-bump ed her, she shifted awkwardly in her seat.

Belle cleared her throat.  “So…anything new in your life?”

Carol paused, thinking about her most recent case and how it ended.  What happened between her and Izaya …   She whispered, “No, nothing.”

“Liar.”  Belle called, but changed subjects quickly.  “What about…that kid that you used to spend all your time with…?”

Carol swirled her drink, watching the sweet swirl of chocolate and vanilla spin around.  She sighed.  “Izaya?”

“…Yeah…” Belle answered carefully.

“I –  “ Carol  began but was cut off suddenly.

“Am still around.” Izaya stated, his elbows propped on the table, a big cheesy grin on his face.  “Hey, long time no see, Belle Ann Selph.”  He turned his head back to Carol.  “You didn’t tell me your sister was coming back to town.”

Carol just glared at him.  “You have a lot of nerve.”  She set her coffee down and smiled at Belle.  “Would you excuse me for a moment?”

Belle waved her hand.  “Yeah, take your rude piece of junk friend else where.”  

She sipped form her coffee while Carol grabbed Izaya’s sleeve and yanked him out of café and  to the small alley where she could snap, “What do you think you’re doing?  Did I not just tell you that I would, in fact, turn you in!?”

“You couldn’t m ean that, Car-Car…that was a wee k ago, you’ve had time to come to your senses.”  He tried to get a hold of her but she pulled away.

“No Izaya.  I’ve finally come to my senses for the first time!”  She snarled hatefully.  “I’ve done everything I could to protect you while you played your little games, but I’ve had enough.  Give me one good reason I should continue to cover for you.”

He grabbed her arms and spun her around, pinning her back to the wall.  “Alright.  Arrest me.”

Carolynn gritted her teeth.  She tried to shout at him, wanted to shout at him, but she lost her voice.  She weakly punched his chest instead.  “I hate you.  I’m trying to be a good cop and you make a fool out of me.”

Izaya tipped her chin up.  “Then stop faking it, Car-Car.   Come back to the dark side with me.  You were so much fun to play with…”

Carol slapped his hand away.  “Izaya stop.”  She ordered adamantly.  “I’m not a doll to play with, I’m a human being dammit.  I’m done letting you just do what you want to do!  Leave here before I put you in cuffs and drag you back to the station.”

Izaya’s cold gaze bore into her for the longest moment before he turned and trotted away.

Carol watched him go, resting her hand on her chest.  She felt her heart beating rapidly.  “Why do you do this…Izaya…?”

Carol sat back down, Belle’s brows arched up.  “I guess that answers that question.  Why do you keep him around?”

“I don’t keep him, trust me.”  Carol sipped at her now cold coffee.  “He’s attached.  I can’t get rid of him.”

Belle leaned forward and said, “You should’ve gotten rid of him back in school when I told you to!”

She looked down, unable to meet her sister’s eyes.  “I know…but…”

“Carolynn…don’t tell me…”  Belle’s voice dropped several octaves.  “You haven’t…fallen in love with that bastard, have you?”

“What!?” Carol screeched, eyes widening.  “What in heaven’s name would make you even… _ think _  that?”

Belle paused, her well-schooled eyes analyzing her quizzically.  She leaned back, her arms folded neatly over her chest.  “Your…defensive attitude for one thing.  Tell me, Carolynn, what’s on your mind right now?”

Carol sighed.  “I know what kind of person he is.  And just how twisted his attitude and mentality are.  But, he’s been my best friend for a long time.   As much as I wish there wasn’t, have some attachment to him.  For a while now, I’ve been keeping my crew off his tail.  But recently…he did something…terrible…”

She saw Belle’s eyes widen with interest.  “Terrible?  More terrible than tampering with people’s minds?”

“It’s not like that!”  Carol shouted and then instantly regretted it.

“See?  It’s that attitude that makes me think your feelings for him are a little…more than you let on.”

Carol looked away.  She didn’t want to justify herself…mainly because she couldn’t.  Belle held her hands up.  “But hey, not my place to critique your lifestyle.  If he’s what you want, go for it.  But here’s the thing.  I came here…with an ulterior motive…While I’m working in town with this vet ,  I  need a place to stay…”

“And…you wanna stay with me?”  Carol asked.

“I wasn’t sure what your living arrangements were.”  Belle informed.  “If it were possible, that’s what I’d like, but if not, I can find another way.  I just want to save some cash.”

“I live in a dinky little apartment.  I barely even have a couch to sleep on.”  Carol stated, frowning.  “Or else, I’d love for you to stay with me again.  I think the building has a free apartment though.”

“I’ll look into it.  Gimme the number?”

After exchanging information and talking for a little while longer, they went their separate ways.  As Carolynn headed to the station, however, she was aware of a set of eyes watching her the whole time; keeping track everywhere she went.


	3. Carolynn; A Cuffed Girl

On the way to the station, Carol’s phone went off.  “Yeah?”  She asked, hands full of coffee and paperwork.

Belle giggled on the other end of the line.  “So, we’re going to be next door neighbors!”

“Awesome.  Did the tenant give you a good deal?”

“Yeah.  The moment I said your name.”

“Good.  Well, I’m about to head to work.”

“ Me  too, see ya later.”

Carol threw her crap down on her desk and hung up the phone before making her way to the conference room where the crew made their agenda’s for the day.  As the undercover detective, she wasn’t required to go, but liked to get added information about what needed to be taken care of.  Sometimes the sheriff, would give an assignment that he personally wanted taken care of.  

This day was no different.  As soon as she came in, he tipped his hat at her and grinned .  “Good morning, Carolynn.”

“Eh, Joe.”  She dropped down into the spinning chair between Ollie and Steven.   “So, what’s on the agenda today?”

“It’s a pretty in-depth case.  There’s been a lot of gang violence and issues in a local school.  A couple students have gone missing.  We’re hoping that maybe we can knock out two birds with one stone and send you and Steven to this high school so that we can maybe get some suspects in for questioning.”

Carol’s eyebrows shot up.  “You want me and Steven to do this?”

Joe nodded.  “You’re still young so it would be easy for you.  Both of you will be transferring from an out-of-state school that was shut down.  Your transcripts will be on their way in a few weeks.  Can you handle this?”

“Yeah, but I’d prefer not to be partnered with Steven.”  Carol confessed.

“Shut up.  Don’t you know women are supposed to be seen and not heard?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.  I solve more cases than you do.”

“But you keeping letting Izaya Orihara get away.  Sounds sketchy to me, traitor.”

“How dare you – “

“Enough.”  Joe’s voice echoed around the room.  “Both of you need to learn to get along anyway.”  He sighed.  “Alright.  You’re all dismissed.  Carol.  I need to have a word with you.”

Carol’s blood ran cold as everyone shuffled out and Joe took a seat beside her.  “I’m glad that Steven brought up Izaya – “

“Joe, come on, you know that I – “

“Carolynn.”  Joe cut her off with a low growl.  “That night, you witnessed him commit a crime.  You never let them get away.  But he did.  And you vowed that you’d turn him in as soon as you caught him.”

“And I will!  I swear!”  Carol started again.

“Steven showed me a picture he took on his phone of the two of you outside Starbucks yesterday.”

Carol leaned back and cursed under her breath.  “My sister was back and I – “

“No excuses.  Carolynn, you owe it to all  of us.  If you want to remain on this team, you have to turn him in.”

“Yessir.”  Carol dipped her head as she got up and walked out.

For the longest time, she just stayed there, unable to move.  She wasn’t able to turn him in; she knew it.  Through everything that had happened, he was still her closest friend.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.  She pulled it out, brows furrowing when she didn’t recognize the number.  She flipped her phone open.  “Hello?”

“Car-car!”

She wanted to hang up right then.  “Bad timing, Izaya.”

“It’s never a bad time.”  Izaya sang to her.  “Besides, I saw your meeting let out – “

“Stay away from the station, idiot!”

“ –  But where are you?”

She sighed, giving up.  “What do you care?”  She demanded.

“We haven’t hung out in soooo long!”

“There’s a reason for that.  Take a hint.”

“So harsh, Car-car.  What happened to that sweet little girl from high school?”

“She got tired of being your toy.”

“Come eat with me.”

“How many times do I have to say it!?  We’re not friends!”

“I’ll pay.”

“Izaya!”

“Come on, I miss you, Car-car.”

She started to argue with him all over again when she remembered her goal and what the sheriff had just told her.  This could be a golden opportunity for her.  She hesitated.  “Where at?”

“That’s my girl!”

He chose a local bar and grille.  When she walked up, he was wearing his familiar hoodie.  Carol looked away when they made eye contact and he smiled.  Her heart pounded out of control at the fact she was about to betray him.  She never imagined things would come to this.  

In elementary school, she was ignorant and innocent.  That’s where she met Izaya for the first time.  In middle school, she made a complete personality flip.  She became a trouble maker and a rebel.  Those were the years she and her sister had the roughest time, but still there wasn’ t too  much arguing.   In high school, she started to calm down, but she was never quite the person she thought she was going to be.  But it was during her recovering stage in high school that she made her decision to become a cop.

As she stared at Izaya, she started to question herself on her motive for becoming a cop.  Did she become a cop to protect others?

Or to protect him?

He danced over to her.  “I knew you couldn’t resist me, Car.”

“Yeah.  Whatever.”  She said quickly, turning her head away.  She couldn’t look him in the eye right now.

“Why so down?  Have something on your mind?”

She wanted to say something harsh and unconventional, but all that came was a sudden pause.  He was able to read her better than anyone else could.   But there were times when she could tell he got frustrated because he sometimes couldn’t.  He was really good at reading anyone, but that’s why she tried extra hard to keep him from guessing what she was thinking.  This time, though, she didn’t know how to respond.

Izaya gave a loud shrug and said, “Let’s make it easier then, shall we?”  He reached around her, his fingers dancing along her belt and withdrew, holding the cuffs on his two fingers.  He asked, “Are you going to put these on me right now, or do I at least get to have lunch with you one last time?”

Her eyes widened.  “How did you know…that I…”

“You’re usually harder to read.”  Izaya commented.  “I was disappointed.”

“If you knew, then why did you come!?”  Her eyes widened as her heart pounded.

Izaya made a face, but didn’t really say anything.  He frowned and then looked up as if he couldn’t believe she was being so dense.  Then it hit her like a slap in the face.  He was going to willing let her arrest him.  

“Why…would you let me…?”

He groaned, tired of explaining himself.   “You made yourself pretty clear the other day.   Guess your job is more important than I am.  So, I suppose it’s time to stop playing games…I guess…”

Carol grabbed a fistful of his jacket.  “Why are you so stupid!?”

“Excuse me?”  Izaya pulled her hand off his jacket, grabbing her wrist, but unintentionally (?) pulling her closer.  “I was trying to be nice for once.  What’s the matter with you?”

“My job isn’t more important!  Why the hell do you think I  _ haven’t _  turned you in yet?  I was only going to cuff you to give you a scare.”  She looked down, her voice dropping.  “I thought that maybe, by proving to you that I really could catch you if I wanted to, you’d lay off.”

Izaya swung the cuffs around his finger.  “So you were going to handcuff me and  _ not _  arrest me?  You know what that sounds like, right?”

Carol’s face erupted bright red and she slapped him across his face with her free hand.  “You…pervert!”

Izaya smirked but he didn’t budge or let go of her other hand.  “Hm…it’s been a long time since you hit me…”  Carol paused, remembering all the times she would smack him in middle school for making some nasty comment about her clothes or making fun of his hair, or picking on girls who were already bullied.  She always let him knock the bullies down, but she would reign him in when he degraded  girls who were already running on low self-esteem.

She pulled away from him and her eyes narrowed.  “Then don’t be sick and you won’t get hit.”

He backed her up against the wall, a devilish grin on his face.  “Why?  I kind of like it…”

“Izaya!  Stop!” Carol pushed him back and cleared her throat.  “Listen, Izaya.  You and I both know that I won’t turn you in.  But the game ends here.  We can’t be seen together any more, understand?  This is the only way it’ll work.  Even though I won’t turn you in, doesn’t mean that somebody else won’t.  The only way we can continue like this is if you stay far away from me.”

Izaya held his hands up.  “Of course, of course.  I understand.”  He smirked.  “ From now on, we won’t be seen again.”  With a wink and a wave he took off – without lunch.

And with her handcuffs.  She gasped, “IZAYA!!”


	4. Izaya; A Curious Cat

Izaya turned in his chair, his legs propped up on the table as he looked at his game board.  It had been a few days since any of his black pieces had moved, but the red piece had been all over the board.  He sighed, cheek on his hand, propped on the table as he figured his next move.

He flipped his phone open as he thought about what Carolynn had said.  Everything she’d said to him recently.  Their relationship had changed so much since school.  She was still the same girl as always.

Unpredictable and crazy.

Not to mention beautiful.

He picked up the red piece and then set it back down.   At this point, he wasn’t quite sure how to play it, but he didn’t like that it was off in the corner by itself…unprotected by the king piece.

He looked at the piece that was closest currently to the king piece.  Then it struck him.   He slid that piece over next to the red piece and dialed a number on his phone.

“Hello?”

Izaya spun, his back to the board game now.  “Yes, I have a job that I need taken care of.  Could you have my trusty transporter come meet me outside the city’s Park?”

“Sure.”

“Early, as usual.”  Izaya stated, smirking as the Black Rider pulled up.

She stopped her bike and wrote a message on her phone:

_ What do you want? _

Izaya shrugged.  “Don’t be so hasty, this is a long job, but not too hard.”

Her body stiffened, but she waited for his instruction.  Izaya leaned on the rail next to her bike as he continued.  “I’ve gotten myself into a bit of a mess.  There’s a cop that I would like for you to keep an eye on.  I’d prefer if nothing happened.  I have my o wn plan to set in motion . ”

She paused for a long time and then wrote another message.

_ So, you want me to protect a cop?  Who is he? _

Izaya started laughing.  “Oh sorry.  Not a he.  She.”

This made her stop even more suddenly.  She typed away again.

_ Are you telling me that you’re interested in a girl?  YOU? _

Izaya gritted his teeth and pushed her phone out of his face.  He started to snap at her sharply but he paused, thinking about her.  Her elegant crimson hair and flaring red eyes.  The way those eyes were always ready for action.  How beautiful she could be whether frowning or smiling.  And how irresistible she was when she yelled at him for doing something stupid or dangerous.  He stuffed his hands into his pockets.  “Don’t read more into it than what it is.  She’s just been hot on my trail and I want to make sure she stays off of it.”

Again, she wrote:

_ Okay, I don’t get it.  I have a job as a transporter.  That means that I’m supposed to deliver things for you. _ _   But if you want me to keep this cop out of danger, then it sounds more like you want her PROTECTED than to keep her off your trail.  You’re sounding awfully suspicious right now. _

Izaya waved his hand.  “Just do your job.”  After handing her a picture of Carol, h e pushed off the rail and walked away.  But not before he noticed her shoulders moving as though she was laughing.  He didn’t really get what was so funny.

He was on his way out of the park when he noticed a unique wash of red hair brush through the crowd.  He paused, blending in so she couldn’t see him as she walked by.  She laughed, a pleasant sound that rang in his ears.

He noticed that she was with her sister again, but there was something different about her.  He followed her a bit, but not obviously, she was still a cop and was keen on that stuff.  Then he noticed.  She was taller.  Almost his height.

She was wearing heels…?

Not just any heels either.  They were a pair of thick, three inch leather boots.  What the hell was she wearing that for?  She was always wearing an outfit that much trendier than usual.  In fact, he rarely saw her wearing anything that wasn’t her work uniform anymore.  Saying that the outfit made her look totally hot would have been an understatement, but instead of taking his time to admire, his curiosity made him walk closer.

“…and I have a few more friends who should have some more clothes for you.  Soon your whole wardrobe will be completely redone and you’ll look just like a kid again.”  Belle sang, spinning around.

“I just don’t know if I can pull this off.  I mean, I am twenty-two.”  Carolynn stated.

“That may be true, but you could definitely pass as an eighteen year old easily.  You still have your cute girlish figure.”

Izaya had to hold back his laugh at her comment.  It was so true…

Carol started to walk backwards, sticking her tongue out at Belle.  Izaya had to quickly duck behind some people so that she wouldn’t notice him.   “Okay, so even if I pass physically, how do I pass mentally?  I mean, I am totally more mature than the rest of those kids.  But I’m not even concerned about that, because I won’t pass physically!”  She turned Belle towards the window where they could see their reflections.  “Look at that, I have the physique of a fully-matured woman.”

“Ha!  But you’re not.”  Belle teased.

When Belle made another comment that he missed, Carol pulled away.  “You big jerk!  That is such a lie!”  She trotted backwards, laughing while complaining about how heartless her sister was.

God, she was so cute.

Belle shouted something back, but then her smile dropped.  “Carolynn!  Look out!”

Izaya gasped at the same time he noticed what Belle did.  The crowd that Carolynn had been using as a guide as she walked backwards had stopped while she kept going, stumbling right off the curve and into on-coming traffic.

He ran towards her, hoping to catch her in time.  He wouldn’t have made it, but thankfully she fell onto the ground before she got into the traffic.  The car that whizzed by came within inches of her head.

As she got up, Izaya hadn’t noticed that his heart stopped until it started back up again.  He relaxed, his hands sliding into his pockets.  “Carolynn Sarah Selph…you’re going to be the death of me.”

As though she heard him whisper her name, her eyes locked directly on him through the crowd as she got up.  Her eyes were wide, but felt almost like a physical presence on his skin.  He couldn’t explain the feeling he got as he watched her get up, her sister pulling her into her arms and squeezing her.

Was it relief?  Fear?

Or jealousy?

Belle began to scold Carolynn while pulling her as far away from the street as possible.  He turned and walked away.  He longed to do that: Pull her  out of the street when she clum sily walked into it, hold her and tell her she was safe, yell at her for being an idiot, and just being beside her would be enough.

He shook his head.  What was the matter with him?  He was beginning to sound like another one of those love-struck fools.  No way in hell would he ever be one of them.

Worry made him look back over his shoulder one more time.  She was laughing with her sister.  It was an image he wanted to burn into his mind.

He tipped his head to the sky and laughed to himself.  Well, maybe he would end up one of those love-struck fools one day…

Just maybe…


	5. Carolynn; An Out-of-Touch Friend

Looking in the mirror the next morning was awkward.  She’d pulled out her headband and replaced it with an off-set ponytail.  Her shirt was more layered and drape-y than she’d like.  And the in-style skinny jeans also made her feel weird and exposed.

When a knock came to her door, she opened it slowly, worried that someone she didn’t want would see her.  She relaxed when Belle laughed in her face.  “You look just like a high schooler again!”

“Shut up!”  Carol hissed, letting her sister in.  “But everything fits so I’m good to go tomorrow.”

“Glad to hear it.”  Belle grinned and dumped a pile of make-up on her vanity table.  “It’s all there so you can experiment tonight.  Layer it on heavily in the morning.  If you need any help, just come on over.”

As her sister trotted back out, she waved her by.  “Thanks.”

When she left, Carol put her boots back on.  If she wanted to blend in at school, it would be easier if rumors about her being here had already begun to spread.

She was on her way over the bridge when she became aware of a strong presence.  She barely noticed the Black Rider before it drove away.  Arching a brow in question, she continued on.  On the other side of the bridge, she saw Shizuo standing under a streetlight, smoking the usual cigarette.

She smiled and walked up to him.  “Hey, Shizuo, long time no see.”

He puffed on the cig.  “Yeah, no joke.”

She hopped up on the rail.  “So how have you been?”

He shrugged.  “I’ve been okay.”  He looked her up and down a moment and then asked, “So, what’s up with the get-up?  Not saying that it looks back, just unusual for you.”

“My sister came to town.  Just trying something new.”

“How old is your sister again?”  Shizuo questioned.

Carol smirked.  “’Bout a year younger.”

“Hm…One year makes a difference.”  He sighed, leaning his head back.  “I remember seeing her a few times in school.  The one with the blue hair, right?”

“That’s her.”

“You two get along well for sisters.”  He commented.

“I know…We’re a unique pair.”

“That’s for sure.”

Carolynn kicked her legs, her boots clanking against the rail posts.  “So how is your job?”

“Well, I haven’t been fired yet.”

Carol laughed softly.  “Definitely good news.”

He ran a hand through his hair and let out a loud sigh.  “I suppose I shouldn’t ask because it’ll only piss me off, but…are you still hanging out with Izaya?”

Carol pursed her lips.  She knew about their long-standing rivalry.  But, with confidence, she could say, “No, we don’t associate anymore.”

“Good.  I didn’t like you spending time with him.  He’s bad news.”

Carol smiled.  “You big softy.  Still looking out for me?”

“I owe you.  That’s all.”  He corrected with finality.

Carol smirked and hopped off the rail.  “Liar.  You used to go out of your way to keep some of the bullies off my tail and watch out for me.  You still are.  You just won’t admit it.”

Shizuo grumbled.  “I’m not lying.”  He watched her as she started to walk away.  “Where are you off to?  Your house is the other way…”

Carol smiled over her shoulder.  “I know, I wanted to enjoy my last night of freedom.”

He blinked.  “Last night of freedom?”

Carol sighed.  “My sister moved in next door.  Now I’m full-time helping her.”

“I see.  Wanna grab a bite to eat?”

“Sure.  That’s what I was doing anyway.”  She led him downtown.  “What sounds good?”

“Barbeque?”  He suggested, eyeing a casual BBQ place.

“Sure!”  She started towards the door when she caught sight of something familiar.  A fur hoodie.  Izaya’s dark glare bore straight into Shizuo.  What had him so set off?  But if Shizuo saw him, too, it would be very bad.

She urged him on in.  At their booth, a kind young girl took their orders.  As they waited, Carol spun her straw around her drink, worrying about Izaya being there.

Shizuo shifted.  “So what’s really going on?”

Carol sighed.  “At my job – “

“Which is what, exactly?  We’ve been friends for a long time, but I realize that you’ve never actually told me much of anything. ”

“Technology back sales at the downtown market.”  Carol told him hastily.  She hated lying.  “ but  in order to get a project out, I have to work with someone I really don’t like.”

“I know the feeling.”  Shizuo commented.  “I hate just being in the same town as that damn Izaya.”

“You two are never going to get along...” Carol teased.

He slammed his fist on the table.  “Get along!?  What nonsense is that!?  He set me up and cost me a very important job!”

Carol looked down.  “I’m sorry, Shizuo.”

He sighed again.  “No.  It’s not like it’s your fault.  He’s a rat.  But I’ve got a new job now and it keeps me going.”

Carol didn’t know what else to say.  He picked back up, “But if your partner gives you too much trouble, I’ll beat the shit out of him for you.”

Carol laughed.  “Thanks, Shizuo.”

They ate, talking here and there about their lives and the disasters in them.  By nine o’ clock, Carol stood up.  “I need to be going, Shizuo.  Thanks.”  She pulled out her wallet but he grabbed her hand.

“I got it, Carolynn.  Go on.”  He smirked, tossing some cash on the table.  “I was really worked up earlier, but talking to you calmed me down.”

Carol smiled and waved.  “Stay safe, Shizuo!”  She trotted out of the restaurant, pausing a moment to scan the crowd before she headed back home.  Four or five blocks later, she heard someone run by her shouting,

“Watch out guys!  Shizuo and Izaya are going at it in the BBQ place!  Does someone have a camera!?”

Carol’s eyes widened and she turned right back around.  In the sky above, she saw a shattered table go flying.  “Damn you, Izaya!”

By the time she got back, the street was flooded with cop cars.  No one said anything, but all of the officers look upon her with distaste.  She found Shizuo leaning agianst the fence, several cuts on his body; clearly from Izaya’s pocket knife.

“Shizuo!  Are you okay?”

He grumbled, still worked up about his encounter.  “Of course I’m fine.  That bastard!  He even provoked me this time!  If I get the chance to break his neck, it won’t be soon enough…”

Carol looked away, searching for him a moment.  “I’m sorry Shizuo.  I had no idea he would – “

“Don’t apologize for that disgusting little devil!  He makes me sick to my stomach!  Stay away from him, understand?  Far away…!”  Shizuo leaned his head back and took a deep, calming breath.  “Sorry you had to come running all the way back here.”

“It’s fine.  I was worried about you.”  Carol admitted, but the cops shooed her away before they could talk anymore.  They wanted to question Shizuo.  Hopefully he wouldn’t get pinned for the whole thing.  That means that she needed to find Izaya and force him to take  partial credit for the crime.  On her way out of the crowd, someone called her name.  She turned to see Joe in his full uniform, brows arched.  He gave her his best scolding look.

“This doesn’t look good on you.”

“I know.”  She called back.  She turned and headed back to her apartment.

Oh, how she knew.


	6. Izaya; A Determined Boy

He stared at the game board.  The position of the pieces made him so angry.  A cracked, small silver piece was beside the elegant red piece and the mysterious, oddly shaped black piece.

“A curious feeling has come over me…”  He said to the board, picking up the silver piece and examining it.  “Usually you’re the one who is supposed to be upset.  You’re not supposed to push my buttons back, Shizu-chan…”

He set the piece back down and then his eyes brushed over the red piece.  “I’d like to think that it’s because of you, my dear Carolynn…”  His finger tapped the top of the red piece and then down the queen-shaped carving.

His phone rang.  His eyebrows shot up when he recognized a different  ring tone than usual.  It was his more intimate cell phone that he used only for personal reasons.  This means that there was only one number on it.  Only one person could be calling him.  He grabbed it off his desk and hopped into his chair.  “Car-car!  What a surprise!”

“Cut the bullshit, Izaya.  What were you thinking?”

He frowned.  “What about?”

“You deliberately set Shizuo off today.”

“So?”

“So!?  Izaya, you…”

“Handsome devil?”

“Not even close.  You’re an asshole, Izaya.   And an idiot.  When are you going to stop?”

“When I get what I want.”  He answered, twirling the red piece between his fingers.

“And what’s that?”

“You.”

“I’m not playing games here.  These past few days, you’ve been seriously going too far.  You’re about to cost me my job!”

“Why is that so bad?  You don’t need it.”

“Yes I do.  But even so, I want it.  I want to help people.”

“And I want you.  Back here.  With me.  See how we’re both getting the short end of the deal?”

“I’m trying to be serious here, Izaya.”

“As am I.”  He leaned forward, turning his computer on.  “Middle school and high school were so much fun.”

“Grow up, Izaya.”

He leaned back again.  “So what you’re saying is that you want me to stop what I’m doing and drop off the face of the earth so you can stay happy and keep your job?”

“Izaya…”  There was a long pause.  “You know that’s not what I want.  I want to hang out with you again…but I can’t as long as you – “

“As long as  _ you _  work at that station.”  Izaya corrected.

“I’m not quitting.”  She said with finality.

When his computer booted up, he sat staring at his background.  It was a picture of him and her during the later years of middle school.  She had wanted to go for sushi but when he spotted the photo booth, he dragged her in.  The first snapshot was his background.  She was shouting at him and trying to throw him out, but her hand was clutched on his hoodie and the other was folded inside of his.  Despite screaming in his face during the picture, she was still grinning and so was he.  As kids, they had so much fun.  They always fought and argued but they stayed close.

“…Izaya?”

“So what do I have to do to make you quit?”

“Enough, I’m not quitting.  Why do I have to?  Why can’t you stop your insane tirade with whatever it is you’re trying to do?”

“I can’t stop.”  Izaya clicked on the files and started flipping through their old picture album.

“And I can’t quit.”

“Hm…”

“But you have to at least top getting in trouble with law enforcement.”

“It’s not like I try.”

“Whatever, Izaya.  I’m going to bed.  Goodnight.”

She hung up before he could say anything back.   He’d stopped flipping pictures on the one of her in her long silver dress and make-up stained face.  It was her junior prom and the boy she was supposed to go with stood her up.  He’d found her outside the school crying.  He’d been able to cheer her up and they spent all night just talking and then passed out in the backseat of her sister’s car.  She’d been so mad when she found them that morning on her way to work.

Izaya pushed away from his desk and pulled on his hoodie.  He jumped out of his office and made his way through backwoods streets.  Finally he found her little apartment and climbed up to her bedroom window.  He leaned against the wall as he gazed in her window.

She was curled up in her bed like a restless kitten.  Even in her sleep there was a soft smile on her sweet lips.  Izaya rested his forehead on the window.  There was no substitute for  the real thing.  Having those pictures on his computer to remember the good old days wasn’t the same thing as having her in full flesh and blood.

She stirred and her eyes opened.  She looked straight at him and he froze.  For the longest time, she just watched him and then finally sat up.  Her hair was a mess, going every direction.  It was just so adorable.   She rubbed her eyes and walked over, unlatching her window and lifting it up.

“I already said good night.”

“I think ‘good  night’s  over the phone are so tacky.”  He kept his arm propped on the wall, but stayed leaning where the window had been.

“I thought we’d already been through this.”  Carol groaned to him.  “Go away.  You’re going to get me in trouble.”

“I’m okay with trouble.”   He started to reach out to her but she withdrew quickly.  He cursed himself mentally for being so stupid and forgetting.

“Izaya.  Really.  How often have you been coming over here while I sleep?”

He paused and rubbed the back of his head.  She leaned her head on the wall and watched him for a long time, her eyes slowly starting to glaze over.  “You confuse me, Izaya…I don’t understand what you’re after.”

“Now you understand how I feel.”  Izaya commented, a small smile on his face.  “You’re the only who’s ever surprised me.  Who I feel any sort of compassion towards …”  He had to resist trying to reach out to her again.  He swallowed his breath and said, “But honestly, I’m pretty straight forward.  The only thing I want in this world is you.”

Carol sighed.  “Sorry, but I’m tired.  If you’re going to stay out here, then don’t make it obvious.  If the patrol sees you then I’ll really lose my job.”

“You could always invite me in.”  He played it off well as it a joke, but he w as the only one who would know that the thought made his heart pound.

She smirked.  “Don’t press your luck, Izaya.”  She closed the window on him, smiled one last time before turning and going to bed.

He stood there for another moment, but fina lly turned and jumped off the on ning and made his way back home.

The next day there was a banging on his door at about nine in the morning.  He lazily opened it up to the Black Rider.  His eyes widened.  “Oh?  To what do I owe this rare meeting?  I don’t think you’ve ever come to my home before.”

She typed away hastily.

_ What kind of joke are you playing at?  This cop that you’re having me follow is a high school student!?  How can that be?  How old is she?  Are you some kind of pervert? _

Izaya waved his hands.  “Whoa, slow down.  The cop I’m having you follow is not a high school student.  Are you following the right person?”

She flipped to a picture and showed it to him.  Sure enough, Carolynn was talking to her sister while walking to into a high school surrounded by students who actually attended.  His eyes widened a bit.  “What the hell?”

_ So spill: What am I following this girl for? _

Izaya shook his head.   “Just do as  your  told, it’s none of your business.”  He slammed the door in her face.  He gritted his teeth and crossed his arms as he walked over to the window.  “What the hell, Carolynn?   What are you up to and why don’t I know about it?”

Without wasting another moment, he dropped into his computer chair and, bypassing the most perfect picture of his past, started through his contacts.


	7. Carolynn; A School-Girl

On the first day, the whole class stared at her in awe.  At first, she was scared that she stood out, but then she deterred those thoughts by telling herself that everyone had done a good job in preparing herself for this school life.  The teacher introduced her, “And this, class, is our two new transfer students:  Clayton Conder and Malinda Haverly.  Please be nice to them.”

They were pointed to the empty seats in the back.  Carolynn’s seat was behind a student that was almost as new as she was.  As soon as she sat down, he turned.  “Hi, Malinda.  My name is Mikado Ryuugamine.”

Carolynn smiled as much as she could.  “Oh hi.”

“If you need any help learning your way around the school, let me know.  I’d love to show you around.  I just came here not too long ago.  This is my first year here in this town.”  Mikado explained, stuttering a bit as if he was nervous.

A blonde haired boy came up beside him and wrapped his arm around Mikado’s neck.  “Wow, putting the moves on the hottie new girl already?  I thought you were interested in Anri?  Come on man, let me get one.”  He turned away from his friend and towards Carolynn.  “My name is Masoami Kida.  If I can be of any service to you, than just ask.”  He ended with a wink.

Carolynn couldn’t help but laugh out loud.  It was almost refreshing to be back in high school.  Putting on the school uniform, sitting at the little desk that didn’t have enough room to actually do work , and the flirting boys.  And just like that, she was taken back.

** The first day of her freshman year was probably the wildest day of her school life.  Carolynn had wanted to leave a good first impression this time.  She wanted to put her middle school traumas behind her.  She had been labeled a wild rebel, but now she wanted a new label.  Something that made her look good in the eyes of the teachers and the students.  However there was only one problem. **

** And that problem danced into class ten minutes late on the first day.  “Car-Caaaarrr!”  Izaya sang, twirling at the front of the class.  “I’m so excited for our first day of school!  Aren’t you?” **

** Carolynn gaped, watching him totter over to her seat and drop down into the desk beside her.  She grumbled ** ** ,  “ ** ** Izaya, you’re late by…like…twenty minutes.” **

** “Eleven to be exact.  You haven’t been working on your math homework over the summer have you?”  He laughed, drowning out the teachers scolding. **

** She couldn’t resist his rude and obnoxious behavior.  She smiled ** **.  “Izaya, you’re an idiot.  Don’t act so terrible on the first day of school…” **

** Izaya sighed and turned back to the teacher.  “If you’re wanting to fill out a detention slip, my name is Izaya Orihara…” **

** The rest of that day continued with nonstop fighting.  During second period, she had met Shizuo Heiwijima.  She wasn’t sure which way it went, but either he really didn’t like Izaya or Izaya really didn’t like him.  They spent the entire day fighting each other until the point that Shizuo got hit by a truck. **

** “Shizuo!?  Are you okay?”  Carolynn knelt to help him up meanwhile Izaya paid off the truck driver for damages. **

** Izaya laughed and waved his hand.  “Come on Car-car!  Let’s go grab a bite to eat!  He’ll be fine.” **

** Carolynn started to protest but Shizuo groaned.  “Whatever, go on. ** **   He’s right.  I’ll be just fine.” **

** Nodding, she hopped up and ran after him.  “Later!  And sorry Shizuo!” **

“Wow, talk about spacing out.  Are you okay?”  Masoami laughed and patted Carol’s hair.   “If that happens to you a lot then keep me close and I’ll keep you safe.”

Carol rolled her eyes and started to say something when a voice interrupted her.

“So all of you are after one single slut?  Way to be…”

They all turned to Steven – Clayton.

Masoami’s eyes widened.  “Whoa. Didn’t you guys come from the same school?  Why the harsh words?”

Carol waved her hand.  “We were friends but we had a falling out.  We both transferred schools for a fresh start but we had no idea we would end up in the same place.  Kind of didn’t work out.”

“No kidding. Talk about a major backfire.”  Masoami turned back to her and wrapped an arm around her neck.  “Oh well, his loss.  You can always have a piece of my hunk of manliness.”

Carol laughed.  “Oh really?  Well thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.”

“How about at least a study date?  I’ll catch you up on everything you’ve missed this year.  That way you’ll be on the same page with your studies.”  He offered.

She smiled.  It actually provided the perfect opportunity to ask some of the questions the chief was wanting.  She nodded.  “That sounds great.  How about tonight at six?”

Masoami cheered.  “Score!  With the new school hottie!”

Carol blushed.  “Easy tiger.”

He chuckled and winked before the teacher scolded all of them for talking too much.  The day went rather slowly.  The whole time, instead of listening to the teacher or Steven’s rants, she stared out the window.  The school playground on the other side was like a pit of nostalgia she didn’t need.  She could almost still see a little version of her and Izaya running around, tearing up everything they could get their hands on.  Back in those days when he was just a sweet child.  And she wasn’t a deviant monster.

At the end of the day, Steven followed her out, his degrading voice in her ear.  “Think you might be dating a little out of your age-category?”

Carol stopped at the edge of the street.  She caught a brief sight of the Black Rider recoiling into the shadow of the alley.   She turned to Steven.  “Excuse me?”

“Your  _ study _ _ date _ ?  Isn’t he a little…young for you?”  Steven raised an eyebrow.

“You’re joking right?  We’re not here at the high school just  to  waste time.”  Carol scolded him harshly.  “We’re on a job.  That job is to gather information.  What better way to get info than a flirty teenage boy looking to impress?  If I ask him the right questions, he’ll spill anything he knows regardless.”

“So I was right.”  Steven stated.

Carol raised a brow.  “What?”

He started walking.  “In high school, you were one of those girls who probably offered themselves to any boy who would give them either cash, good grades, or sometimes even bosses.  You were a real whore then weren’t you?”

This guy was so off that it almost made her want to puke.  She was so used to Izaya being able to see right through her that it caught her off guard to have this guy assume something so inaccurate of her.  She smirked to herself.  “Sure, whatever you say.”

“I’ll tell the chief to prepare for some sexual assault charges.  Or sagitory rape at the very least.”  He kept walking but Carol stayed a few feet behind him.

They had to go talk to the chief before she could get back home.  She had given Masoami her address before school was over and he’d told her that he was familiar with her apartments so it wouldn’t be a problem finding her.

It made her wonder how he knew those apartments so well if he didn’t live there.  Actually, there weren’t any high-schoolers who lived in that section.  That was exactly the reason she picked that area.

Almost nobody lived there.

She realized that Steven was ranting ahead of her.  Something about her being a useless cop and that she’d be better specialized to go undercover as a prostitute.  She didn’t really care.   She was used to his terrible attitude.  What she hated most about being partnered with him; however, was that she wouldn’t be able to count on him for any back-up when the time came.

It was one thing to be on a job alone, but a whole other thing to worry that your partner is not only useless but could stab you in your back.

She hated this overwhelming feeling of dread that came over her.


	8. Izaya; An Investigative Boy

Izaya stopped when he heard his phone go off.  It wasn’t a phone call, it was a text message.

_ Come outside. _

He did so, walking up to the Black Rider who leaned on the rail outside of his office.  She had her arms crossed as though she was in a bad mood.  She typed away.

_ Despite your attitude, I still followed the girl.  But I have a few questions of my own.  If I continue doing this, then I want them answered. _

Izaya shrugged.  “Fine.  Go ahead and ask away.”

_ What’s her name? _

“Carolynn Sarah Selph, age 22.  Job: Undercover Detective for the Ikebukuro Law Enforcement.  But no one is supposed to know that but her sister and I so keep it on the down-low.”

_ Why are you so interested in her for?  She doesn’t even appear to be concerned with any kind of case that has anything to do with you. _

Izaya sighed, hands tucked in his pockets.  “And see, this is where things start to cross into the ‘I don’t want to talk about’ category.”

_ And I’m now in the ‘I don’t want to do this job for you’ category. _

“Touch`e, Transporter.”  Izaya chuckled.  “She’s an old friend of mine.  I’m just concerned she might be getting into a mess is all.”

_ That’s not like you.  What’s in it for you? _

“Nothing.”  His voice was stone cold and his eyes narrowed.  “Now, did you learn anything while tailing her today?”

The Black Rider sighed and shook her head.  She typed again.

_ Her assignment requires her to go to school.  She’s trying to blend in as a student.  She has a partner helping her.  Someone by the name of Steven. _

Izaya frowned.  “Steven, huh?  Was he good-looking?”

It almost looked as though she was laughing before typing.

_ No, he was a total ass to her.  He’s definitely one of those anti-feminist types.  You know, the kind of guy who thinks a woman’s home is in the kitchen and the bedroom.  I think he called her a slut like five times. _

He felt something animalistic arise in him.  In his mind, he could see all of the ways he could cut the bastard up for ever saying such things about her.  His hands tightened into fists at his sides.  For a moment, he thought he almost would have preferred it to be a guy flirting with her.  At least that way, he would be able to reign his anger in some way.  He started to turn away when the Black Rider grabbed his arm.

_ Wait, where are you going?  What are you so upset for? _

Izaya pushed her back so she let him go.  “Just keep doing your job, Transporter.  My business is none of yours.”  He stomped down the street, but he felt the Transporter watching him as he left.

He found what he was looking for rather quickly.  It had been a long time since he had been this upset.  The last he remembered was probably that picture.  When he learned that a guy had stood Carol up.  When he watched her cry, he couldn’t control his inner rage and his own desire to rip apart the bastard who caused those tears.

He stopped at the entrance of the police station.  He walked around, peeking in each window.  Once all of the officers were gone, he’d look up this so-called Steven and get a photo of him.  Then, he’d find him and make him regret ever opening his mouth.

He halted when he saw Carol and another guy in the back room with the Chief.  His eyes narrowed.  It looked like she was just getting off an assignment and making her report.  If  that was the case then the guy beside her was Steven.   His eyes narrowed on the bastard until they all bowed to each other and then retreated out of the room.

He watched them both leave.  He wanted to jump him that instant and kill him, but he knew that he had to control himself or Carol would be upset.

Steven grumbled quietly to Carol while they walked.  “So I guess that the chief agrees with your methods.”

“I told you.  It only makes sense.  If you want to get information, you have to know where and how to get it.  On this job, we have to make the most of our time.”  Carol spat coolly to Steven.

Izaya stopped a moment, the knife loose in his hand.  Those words were familiar.

** “What are you crying for?”  Izaya asked, sitting down in front of Carolynn where she was curled up against her locker in the empty hallway. **

** “It’s nothing.  I’m fine.”  Carol told him, rubbing her eyes quickly. **

** Izaya crossed his legs and arms.  “I’m not moving until you tell me the truth.” **

** “I just…”  Carol’s eyes were full as she gazed up at him.  “Someone’s spreading rumors about me.  I don’t know who it is or why.” **

** Izaya grinned.  “Oh that’s all?  I get it taken care of.  What are they saying?” **

** Carol looked down.  “Someone is saying that I sleep in a car and I have sex with random guys to make money…” **

** Izaya’s eyes narrowed.  “Oh really…”  He got up.  “Car-car.  If you ever need to know something, you have to know where and how to get it.  When you’ve got time, make the most of it.”  He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked away.  “You don’t have to worry about those rumors any more.  No one’s going to repeat a word of them anymore.” **

Izaya let go of his knife, letting it fall in his pocket.  “Carolynn…”

Steven rolled his eyes.  “Whatever.  I still think you’re using it to be a cougar and get it some little boy’s pants.  His name was Masoami Kida, right?”

Izaya gasped silently.  He kept following, resisting the urge to slit Steven’s throat the whole time.

Carolynn nodded.  “Yeah.  He seemed pretty comfortable and knew everyone in his class.  He seems like the kind of kid to have his nose stuck in something.  And if it’s stuck in anything, with luck, it’s just what we want it to be stuck in.”

Izaya smirked.  She was getting really good at the whole perception thing.  In high school she was pretty dull-witted.  But now her sharpness compared almost to his.

He let them walk off and he bolted back to his office.  Once there, he looked up Masoami’s phone number, smirking as he dialed it quickly and waited for his old acquaintance to pick up.


	9. Masaomi; A Smooth Talker

Masoami stared at his phone for the longest time before finally picking up on the last ring.  “What the hell are you calling me for?”

“Ouch, so short-tempered.” Izaya laughed on the other end of the line.  “What’s that attitude for?”

“You’ve got a lot of nerve.  Why don’t you show yourself and let me punch the shit of you, you little rat?”  Kida snarled.

“Calm down.  I need a favor.”  Izaya told him calmly.

“Go to hell, Izaya.”  Kida growled even lower.

“You got a date tonight or something?” Izaya chuckled.

Kida froze.  “What’s it to you?”

“What about poor little Saki?”  Izaya asked, faking a pouty voice.

“She and I are over and have nothing to do with you .”  Kida informed, his eyes narrowed.

“Yes, yes, whatever.  On another note, this girl you’re on your way to visit.  Be nice to her, okay?  She’s going to ask a lot of questions.  Answer them like a good boy.  But if you’re able to, try and find out what she’s looking for.  I’m curious myself.”

Izaya hung up while Kida shouted, “Wait!?  How do you know her!?”

“Know who?”  Carolynn asked curiously.   She was standing in front of her door, watching him with curious eyes.

Kida st ared at her, nearly dropping his  phone.   She was out of her school uniform now.   She was in a very classy, very trendy black outfit complete with a tank top, shorts, and some very long seductive boots.  As hot as she looked, she suddenly looked like there was no way she could be in high school.  “Wow.”

Carol shifted uncomfortably and looked down at herself.  “Too much?”

Kida shook his head.  “No way!  This definitely qualifies as a date now.”

Carol stepped aside to let him.  “But more study than date, okay?”

Kida paused as he walked by her, taking off his shoes before strolling on in.  He made a face.  “Not interested in me, huh?”

Carol gave him a sympathetic look.  It made her look even  more older , and more attractive.  How could would it be to score with an older-looking chick!?  But of course, her last statement justified that he shouldn’t get his hopes up.  She placed a hand on his shoulder.  “It’s not so black and white, Masoami.  I’m new.  I don’t know anyone and I’m not looking to  jump right on board the boyfriend drama train.  I had a bad misshapen with that at my old school.  I don’t want it to happen again.”

“I understand.  Can’t blame a guy for trying though.”  Kida teased, trying to hide his disappointment.

She waved him into the kitchen/dining room.  “C’mon.  I just finished making some tuna casserole.”

“Tuna.  A classic favorite of mine.”  Kida sang, strolling to the table as she finished pulling it off the stove.

“Heh, it’s Izaya’s too –  “ She  stopped suddenly as if she had said something wrong.

Kida arched a brow.  He hadn’t caught exactly what she’d said.  “Who’s?  A friend of yours?”

“Huh, er, yeah.  An old friend.”  Carol told him, placing a bowl and fork in front of him.

As Kida started munching away loudly, he asked, “So what’s up with that douche bag friend of yours that transferred with you?  I mean, he called you a slut like…a lot.”

Carol shrugged.  “He doesn’t mean anything to me.  He’s just there.”

“That’s a really mature way of looking at it.”  Kida paused.  “But I don’t think I can be that mature.”

Carol stared at him as he looked at her seriously.  “I can see in that guy’s eyes that he thinks of woman, especially you, as nothing more than lowly trash.  His attitude his terrible and I won’t stand for a decent woman like you to be patronized by a monster like that.”

Her expression softened like a woman who’d been through trauma.  Through some serious disaster in her life that made other people’s problems seem childish and insignificant.  The way she looked just then, it made him feel more like a child than he ever had before.  She said softly, “Masoami, you’re a kind boy.  Almost selfless in fact.  I can tell, just in the short time of knowing you that you care deeply for your friends and that you would do anything for them.”  She touched his hand, sending shocks through his skin.  “Don’t ever  lose that part of you.  No matter what happens, stay and fight alongside your friends.  They love you and need you too.  There aren’t many boys left anymore who are so caring and considerate.  You’ll go far with the ladies in later life.  While your friends float through hundreds of girls, looking for the right one, you’ll be the one sitting back with a great girl by your side.”

He couldn’t really explain the feeling that welled up inside of him.  The kindness in her voice was almost like a slap in the face.  In that moment, all of his feelings got tangled up.  Suddenly, she wasn’t a girl to flirt with and try and hook up with.  She was more of an older sister figure.  A best friend kind of girl.  A girl who would never betray anyone.  Someone  who’d listen and never ask to be heard in return.  Someone who would give up the world just to protect one person.

But there was a deep, agonizing pain in her eyes.  It was so strong that he could swear that he felt a physical brush of sadness.  Someone had betrayed her once.  Someone close to her.  He could see it so clearly.  She needed someone to help her, to take care of her.  Someone to lean on.  

Someone like him.

Kida sat back, a smirk on his face.  “Thanks, chick, but you may have had problems like that, but I’m not worried.  I know that I’ll have a great girl by my side one day.  Any girl is great if she’s got good looks and boobs.”

Her lopsided smile was so cute.  “Masoami…”

“Kidding, kidding.”  He waved his hand.  He looked at her seriously now.  “Look, just like you said, you don’t know anything about me, and I don’t know anything about you.  But…the way you’re talking and the sad look in your eyes tells me that you’ve got a story more important than the advice you’re giving me.”

She looked down and a disbelieving smile came to her face.  It was like she’d expected him to say something like that.  He started to say something else, but she finally spoke up, “My friend and I aren’t as close as we used to be.”

“The one who likes your tuna casserole?” Kida asked, grinning.

Carol smiled back.  “Yeah, him.”

“Oh, him?”  Kida waggled his brows.  “Was he more than a friend?”

She paused for a long time and that grim look came back to her eyes.  Whoever this was must have done a lot of damage to her.  She said, “No, I don’t think so.  I don’t know what my feelings for him were.  But all I was to him was a toy.  Something to play with when he was bored. ”

Kida’s eyes suddenly narrowed sharply.  He knew that feeling all too well.  Whenever he thought about Saki in that hospital room, all he could think about was the bastard that had used her, tricked her, and him, and then threw them aside when they needed him most.

“I know what you mean.”  Kida’s hands tightened on his arms.  “There’s no worse feeling in the world than being used and thrown aside.  To think you’re in control and then one day just wake up and realize that the whole time, you were just a pawn in someone else’s chess game.  I wish no one would ever have to feel that.”

Carol’s eyes were wide.  She knew what he was talking about.  He’d hit the nail on the head.  She, too, had once been a puppet.

Kida reached across the table to her hand.  “Hey, listen.  You don’t have to – “

She recoiled suddenly.  “No.”  She stared at the ground and whispered, “Have you ever been so attached to someone that when they betrayed you, you didn’t care because at one point in time, you had loved them so much you thought that no matter what, everything would be okay.  And they could damn near kill you, and you would still wish you could just go back to the fun and joy?”

Kida’s eyes softened.  “Malinda…”

She smiled.  “Oh sorry, I’m okay.”  She pushed away from the table, taking his empty bowl away.  “Let’s get started on that school work so you can get me caught up, okay?”

How strange.  “Yeah, alright.”  He agreed.

For the rest of the evening they went through textbook after textbook.  But the whole time, he could tell her mind wasn’t focused on the studies.  In fact, she really didn’t care at all.  He didn’t mind.  He wasn’t focused either.  He was wondering the whole time…

Was there someone else just like Izaya that was bullying this girl around?


	10. Carolynn; A Betrayed Girl

Carolynn had slipped well into the little group of kids at school.  Kida was nice to not talk about what had happened during their study session and went on like she was just a normal, care-free girl.  She wished she could do something for him to return the favor.

One day, after about a week, things got a little crazy after school.  Mikado had developed a crush on a student named Anri.  And Kida, who wanted to look after his buddy, had conceded to keep track of him as he went on his adventure in search of her love.

And of course, he brought her along.

That day had been like any other.  Carol was starting to feel uneasy.  It had been a long time since she had seen Izaya.  To her horror, she missed him.  His harassment had become a part of her daily routine.  

Maybe she should start using the subway again?

She shook her head as she followed Kida and Mikado.  No way.  That would be giving into exactly what he wants.  She had to keep some kind of dignity about her.

“Whoa, hey look at that.”  Kida pointed down the alley.

Anri, the girl that Mikado was crushing on, was getting surrounded by girls.  And one awkward guy who thought he was some kind of gangster.  It was really pathetic-looking…

Carolynn started to suggest that they call the cops or something like that when Kida nudged Mikado.  “Hey man.  This could be your big moment to rescue her and become her hero.”

“Bullies huh…?”

All three of them turned, but Carol was the only one who had to contain her gasp of horror.  Izaya was just standing there, smirking, like he hadn’t done anything wrong.  How ironic was it that he had the ability to show up the very moment she was thinking about him, missing him…

Without paying her any mind, he wrapped his arm around Mikado and pushed him down the alley.  Carolynn thought of stopping him but maybe, he was trying to do something nice?  With him here, she wouldn’t have to worry about Mikado getting hurt.  Izaya could take that guy in a heart beat.

But what if this was another one of his jokes?  What if he was out to make a fool of Mikado like he’d done to her and so many other people?  She kept her hand close to her gun.  Even if it meant revealing her identity, she wouldn’t let it happen.

Mikado protested the whole way down the alley until Izaya pushed him and he stumbled between Anri and the group of girls.  Carol’s heart leapt up to her throat.  It was starting to look like another one of Izaya’s jokes.  But this one…

…Might cost her her job.

Izaya smirked, walking closer to the group of girls and the…weirdo guy.  “Bullying people is quite lame.  It’s pathetic, really.”

The little blonde girl had her arms on her hips.  “What are you, like forty?  Butt-out.”

Izaya shook his head.  “Listen…it’s not my problem if you lovely ladies get pumbled to death and die.  I can knock your teeth down your throat or you can bag on my age when I’m actually just 23…”  He grinned devilishly.  “I don’t care…you’re in a class that’s so beneath me it doesn’t matter.  Human beings are weak things…But…beating up chicks isn’t really my shtick.”

Carol stared at him.  Was he actually helping Mikado out this time?  She jumped when she heard her name and looked over to see Steven walking up.  No…not now. She turned away and hoped that either Izaya would hurry up, move along, or at least notice her so she could warn him.

She looked back in time to see the bag fall off the girl’s shoulder.  Her phone tumbled out.  “So I guess the next best thing I can do…”  He picked it up and flipped it open.  “Is take your precious cellphone…and smash it.”  He dropped it back on the ground and started stomping on it while laughing hysterically.  

Carol made a face.  “Really Izaya…grow up…”

He stopped suddenly.  “And now I’m bored.  I guess that’s enough cellphone smashing for one day.”

The trembling leader girl looked at the weirdo guy.  “Hiroshi!”

He ran in between the girls and faced Izaya.

Carol barely glanced at Steven.  “What is going on – Is that Izaya!?”  He glared at Carol with all the hatred in the world.  “Funny…he shows up here.  And we can’t arrest him while we’re undercover.  What an ironically lucky break for him…”

Carol said nothing back, only watched, praying it worked out.  Luckily, Kida hadn’t paid any mind to what Steven said.  His wide eyes were on Izaya.

“You goin’ down foo’!”   The wanna -be gangster shouted at Izaya.

“Violence?”  Izaya teasingly whimpered.  “Oo!  That’s so scary!”

The guy growled.  “What!?  You mother fu –  “  He  lunged at Izaya but Izaya easily evaded.

He twirled while singing, “Whoa!  You’re too tough for me!”

The guy fell and when he sat up, all of his hair fell right out.  Carol smirked a bit.  Good ol’ Izaya.  Not only did he get a job done, but he put on a good show about it, too.  The guy screamed, pulled his hood up, and ran after the other, already screaming as well, girls.

He fell on his way out.

Izaya laughed happily.  “He didn’t even know it was coming.”

Steven glared at Carol even more.  “Looks like assault to me.”

Carol gasped.  “Idiot!  He was defending that girl!”

“As if.”  Steven retorted.  “You and I both know he only does things he wants to do.”

“We’ll talk about this later.  As is, you’re going to blow our cover!”

Kida, Mikado, Anri, Steven, Izaya, and Carol left the ally and went to the bench at the nearest park to chat.

Izaya smirked at Mikado.  “ Man, that  was truly impressive.  Trying to save the oppressed girl from the bullies?”  Mikado blushed at his statement and looked away.

Izaya had a pleasant smile on his face, like he was remembering a good memory. Honestly, Carol was as well.  She and Izaya had once been there…well, more than once.  Carol had always been picked on through high school for her hair and eyes being the strange crimson color that they were.

Izaya had always had her back.  It seemed as though he still did, too.  

His gaze traveled to Kida.  “So, Masoami, it’s been a while.”

Carol’s eyes widened for a bit.  They knew each other?!  Kida tipped his head a bit.  “Yeah, it has.”

“That’s a Raira Academy uniform yeah?  Well done on getting in.”  Izaya congratulated.

“Oh, right, thanks.”  Kida said.  “I didn’t expect to see you, Izaya, you’re not normally in Ikebukuro.”

Izaya smirked just a bit, as though there was some kind of inside joke.  He glanced at Carol just for a moment.  A moment so brief that it was imperceptible.  “There’s something here in Ikebukuro that I’m infatuated with.  Afraid I just can’t stay away.”

“Like?”  Kida pressed, as though he were worried about something.  Carol’s eyes narrowed a bit.  What had Izaya done to him?

“I just came to see somebody.”  Izaya commented, first looking at Carol and then Steven.  “And now I have.”

Steven’s eyes narrowed.  “What is this nonsense?”

Izaya blinked.  “What nonsense?”

He growled and then turned his rage-filled eyes on Carol.  “This guy is wanted by all of law enforcement, want to explain to me why he gets the freedom to just strut around and remains  _ untouched _ ?”

Carol started to say something about blowing their cover but he continued, “That’s because there’s some stupid skank in the office that keeps covering for him.  And sets up little incidents like this that keep him protected from being arrested!  I swear – “

Carol took a step back.  She could feel the atmosphere settle like a rock.

“ –  someone needs to get that bitch off the team.  Do you know what I’m saying?  There’s no sense in keeping a useless slut bag around anyway.”  He finished, still breathing heavy from his rant.

Izaya tapped his shoulder.  “Excuse me, sir.  But I actually haven’t done anything wrong.  There’s no reason for law enforcement to come after me.”  He pulled out a knife and grabbed his collar.  “However, if you continue to talk about this specific cop that way, I’m afraid I’ll just have to give them a reason to come after me anyway.”

His eyes widened in anger.  “Did you just threaten me?”

“Indeed, I did.”  Izaya smirked for a brief moment before it turned into a dark hate-filled glare that she’d only ever seen him give Shizuo.  “Now, do you take it back, or am I officially going to become a primary murder suspect?”

Carol grabbed his wrist.  “Izaya, stop!  You’re going to get in even more –  “ She  gasped when he spun her around and pulled her to his body, pressing the cold blade to her neck.  “Izaya, what are you…?”

“Pretend this never happened  and I won’t kill her.”  Izaya stated with a grin.  Carol started to shout at him, but she noticed that his grip wasn’t tight at all.  It was gentle, but pushed her flat against his body.  His hand trembled against her forearm almost as though it longed to squeeze her, or maybe resist doing something else entirely.

Steven flicked his hand.  “No way, just kill her.  Then I can finally pin you and take you in for the criminal  you are.  You don’t mind, right, Ca – I mean, Malinda?”

Carol’s eyes were wide with disbelief.  “Steven, you’d just let me…”

Izaya let her go, his eyes narrowed in rage.  “You no good, dirty scum!”  He charged at Steven with his pocket knife ready to kill.


	11. Carolynn; A Beaten Girl

Before Izaya got too far, a giant convenience store trash can came flying through the air, slamming into Izaya and sending him into the ground.  Carol gasped, “Izaya!”

Izaya got up slowly, wiping the dirt off his chin while Shizuo casually strolled up.  “Well, well, what’s up, Izaya?”

Shizuo put his glasses away in his jacket.  “I owe you for attacking me the other night, remember, Izaya?”

“Shizu-chan?”  Izaya smirked.  “Still working for that loser after you got fired from your last job?”

Shizuo glared.  “Yeah, and I’m pretty sure you’re the reason I got fired from that last job…”

“Oh come on, Shizu-chan, so I pinned you for something you didn’t do, who knew you’d get so mad?”  Izaya teased.

Carol’s eyes widened a bit as she looked between the boys.  That’s what happened?  Izaya falsely accused him of – 

And then she remembered.

All of those calls that day saying that they’d gotten a lead  on the biggest crime of the wee k.  Some mysterious info broker had given them the tip.  But the next day they let the suspect go on false information.

That was Izaya and Shizuo?  Makes sense that she wouldn’t know, though.  She wasn’t allowed to touch cases involving them.

“Oh, I’m not mad.”  Shizuo corrected.  “I just wanna beat the shit out of you.”

“Shizuo…”  Carol rumbled, taking a step.  “Don’t do this…”

Izaya sighed.  “You know, the problem with you Shizu-chan is that you can’t be swayed by reason.  And that’s bad.”  He smirked a bit.  “…Really bad…”  He picked up his knife and pointed it at him.  “Now let me go.”

Carolynn stared for a long time.  He had such a devious grin on his face that he looked like an imp straight out some devil-graphic book.  He could have the reincarnation of a demon himself.  How funny would that be?  But there was also something…strikingly alluring about his expression.

Her longing for the dark side came back and for a moment, she was more than tempted.  For a moment, she asked herself why she was a cop.  For a moment, she just wanted throw herself to Izaya and disappear like they  used to .  For a moment…

…she forgot who she was.

Then a group came back, from the same group as the guy Izaya beat up not too long ago.  They surrounded them.

And the moment passed.  Carol remembered who she was and why she did what she did.  She looked at Anri and the other kids.  And Steven.  As a cop, he was useless.  He didn’t care about anything except calling the shots.  They needed officers like her who actually wanted to protect the innocent.

The group started making threats at them.  They recognized Shizuo as the guy facing Izaya and in a moment of panic, one of them hit Shizuo with a two by four.

Shizuo stood up straight after groaning in pain.  “You aimed for my head…you have to know a blow like that could kill a guy, right?  And this means that you were intentionally trying to kill me right.  So whatever happens next is what you deserve, right?”  And with one swing, Shizuo punched the guy through the air, all of his clothes flying off in his wake and he hit the ground unconscious.

Then he started attacking the entire group.  In the wake of the disturbance, Izaya tried to make his escape.  Shizuo, still pissed off ripped a vending machine from the sidewalk and went to throw it at Izaya.

Carol let out a shout.  “Izaya!  Watch out!”

Simon jumped from the rooftop and caught the vending machine before it hit him.  Izaya smirked and flicked his hand at her.  “Thanks for the warning, Car-Car!  Be a good little girl without me!”  He sang and took off.

Carol sighed.  “Idiot.  You’re the one that needs to be good.”

Carol shooed the kids away while Shizuo took out his remaining rage on Simon.  She wished she could help him, but again st  Shizuo, she’d only get herself killed.  Besides, getting them to safety was more important.

Once they were to a clear part of town, Carol and Steven headed back to the station.  Out of sight of the others, Steven turned on her.  “Spill.”

“What?”  Carol asked.

“It was no fucking irony that Izaya was there.  You’ve been in communication with him.  You’re helping him to slip away, aren’t you!?  And you probably even had it planned out to get him out of there safe by letting him use you as a hostage, right?”

“Wrong.  There’s no way I would have let him do it.  I had no idea he was going to put that knife to my neck.”  Carol snarled.  “Quit assuming I’m a traitor just because I’m a woman!  I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“All women are sluts, it’s only a matter of time.  Besides, I did some background research on you.  You and Izaya were inseparable all through school.  The two of you started to drift  during high school, but you were still close friends.  You expect me to think that all of this is just coincidence?  No way.  I’m not stupid.  You still have feelings for him and you’re feeding him information that will keep him from getting caught!”  He grabbed her collar.  “You damn treacherous slut!”  He started shaking her.  “Just tell me where he lives so I can arrest him and prove that you’re innocent!”

Carol grabbed his wrists.  “I have no reason to prove I’m innocent!  He hasn’t done anything wrong!”  She knew in her heart that she was lying, but she had to defend him.  At least for a little longer until she knew a way out of this mess.  “And even if he head and I felt compelled to prove innocence, I don’t know where he lives!”

He stopped a moment.  “You expect me to believe that?  You’re such a fucking liar.  If I wasn’t a cop, I’d fucking kill you right now.  It’s scum like you that contaminate this city.”  He threw her down on the ground and paused.   “Why did you become a cop, Carolynn?  If you’re involved with those sick people.  You’re only luring cops to these underground criminals.”

“Because…” She muttered, starting to pick herself up using the fountain.  “I want to protect people.  If I can give just one person a reason to sleep soundly at night, then I’ve done my job.”  She looked him right in the eye.  “Unlike you, you position-hunting, conniving dog!”

“Why you!”  He snarled and punched her square in the face.  She rolled backwards into the fountain, blood mixing with the water.  She gasped and gagged as the iron taste filled her mouth.  She started to get up when she felt another sharp pain to the side of her head and then she fell against the centerpiece of the fountain.  Her whole body ached so bad that it shook and she collapsed into the water.

He came for her again but a flash of warm darkness intercepted him.  It was familiar.  She closed her eyes.  The last time she remembered it was when that girl fell from the rooftop.  It had saved her then, and saved her now.

She sat up in time to see Steven run away.  She looked at the Black Rider as it rolled to a stop beside the fountain.  She typed a message on her phone.

_ Are you okay? _

Carol nodded.  “Yes.  Thanks for…helping me again.”

_ I was on my way by to go home.  I didn’t hear a scream from you so at first I didn’t realize what was happening until you fell in the water.  I apologize for not coming sooner. _

Carol raised her hand to dismiss her and slowly got to her feet, shaking terribly.  She touched her face and looked at the smear of red on her palm.  “He got me pretty good.”

The Black Rider nodded.

_ Two good shots and one hard impact with that bronze statue.  You’ll be lucky if you don’t have a concussion.  Are you going to report him? _

Carolynn shook her head.  “I can’t.”  She tipped her head as if to ask Carol why not.  So she said, “I have my reasons.”

The Black Rider paused.

_ Want a lift home?  You look like you may have trouble walking. _

Carolynn nodded and climbed onto the back of her bike.  “Thank you, again.”  She nodded and drove off, towards Carolynn’s apartment.  She didn’t bother to ask how she knew where it was.  She didn’t really care at the time.  She was just thankful to be alive at all.

The last thing she ever expected was for Steven to turn violent.

She didn’t think about it too long.  After getting home and cleaning herself up, she passed out immediately.


	12. Celty; A Black Rider

Celty knocked on the door repeatedly for several minutes before he finally opened it.  The moment she looked at Izaya’s face, she lost her nerve to say what she’d been so adamant to save.

He grinned.  “My dear Transporter!  More news?”

She typed:

_ Can I come in for a moment? _

Izaya paused and then nodded, stepping back to let her in.  Celty walked over to his couch and sat down.  He sat down on the coffee table and faced her.  “What’s up?”

_ I took – Carolynn, right? – I took her home. _

Izaya arched a brow.  “You did?  Why?  You’re supposed to stay discrete.  The point is for her to not know that you’re watching her.”

Celty looked down.

_ Stay calm, okay? _

Izaya paused again and then his brows furrowed.  “What happened?”  Celty rushed to type again.

_ Seriously!  Stay calm!  Or I won’t tell you _ .

Izaya took a breath, but his hands were clenched on the coffee table to the point that his knuckles turned white.  Celty shrugged.  If she could have, she would have frowned.  Around his room, there were several pictures of him in school.  All of them had Carolynn in them as well.  She glanced at his computer and saw the background picture.  They were cute.

For a moment, she wondered if this Carolynn girl had somehow gotten a leash on this Devil’s Messenger Dog.  She typed:

_ I took her home because she was hurt.  That bastard – her partner – started hitting her.  She was caught off guard – so was I – I mean, I was right there, but it was so sudden that I couldn’t get to her before several hits. _

Izaya’s face was so menacingly calm that it chilled her to the bone.   His brooding eyes honed in on something she couldn’t see.  She swallowed and typed:

_ Are you okay, Izaya? _

He stood up and walked away from her.  “That’s an interesting question you ask, Black Rider.”

She just watched him, too afraid to say anything.  He continued, as she expected, “You ask the question as though I had been the one attacked.”  He went to the bar counter and pulled out a glass, tipping just a bit of wine into it.  He turned his back to her and slowly sipped at it.  “But I wasn’t injured at all.  In fact, I was never even in any real danger today.  Shizu-chan of course doesn’t qualify.”

Celty didn’t say anything.  It was a joke, but it didn’t sound like one.

“So tell me, my dear Transporter…”  Izaya growled lowly.  “Why do I feel like I’ve been  physically hit a hundred times?   And been pushed to the point that I want to kill  this bastard with my bear hands?   Not only kill him, but tear him apart?   Make him suffer for a long…seemingly endless amount of time?”

_ Cause…maybe…you love her? _

Izaya didn’t look at her message.  He laughed to himself.  “The answer…is that Carolynn is mine.”

Celty watched him closely, her body stiffening in response.

“She is mine and only mine.”  He finished.  “No one will ever hurt her and get away with it.”  He clenched the glass and it shattered, spilling all over the floor.  “Thank you…for your information Black Rider.  Anything else you wanted to say?”

Celty walked up to him and held the message in front of his face.

_ She was defending you when he attacked her.  Her feelings for you, despite yours for her, are real. _

Izaya glared coolly at her.  “You don’t know anything about my feelings, Transporter.  Don’t get in the middle, just do your job and move on.”  He ordered, pointing to the door.  “Excuse me, I’m done playing for today.”

Celty put her phone away and walked out of his house.   After she climbed back on her bike, she took off down the road.  She paused at Carolynn’s apartment and peeked in her window.  When she saw her safely laying in her bed, she headed on down to the port.  She parked there for a few moments and looked out over the water, thinking about what had gone on there today.

She leaned on the rail and sighed.  She didn’t know anything about who Carolynn was or what she was about.  But it was clear to her that, despite what Izaya thought he was hiding, he was in love with that girl, or at least was connected to her on some more intimate level.

She jumped when she heard someone start talking.

“I heard a lot of people talking earlier about some kind of fight downtown.”

Celty ducked out of sight and watched the blue-haired girl walk on by.  The blue haired girl was on the phone.  “I guess it was between some color gangs and Shizuo and Izaya. – Yeah, I was thinking that, too.  – Carolynn is clearly still involved with that Izaya guy.  – Yes, that’s what I’m worried about!  I don’t think you understand the extent of the terrible things that went on in school. – No, I’m not over-protective.  I just want her to be  safe  -  He’s bad news.  Especially if he and Shizuo are still going at it.  And those color gangs.  – I plan on keeping track of her.  I don’t want her going off and getting hurt.”

Celty watched her as she walked away, wondering if she was talking about that same girl or not.  Or was there another person close to Izaya that she didn’t know about?

That girl went into the same apartment complex as the one where Carolynn was sleeping.

Celty frowned.  Just what was that guy cooking up?

She climbed back on her bike and drove off back home.   Once she was back inside, Shinra ran over to her.  “So how is your job going, Celty?  It’s unusual for you to get such a tedious one.”

Celty shrugged her shoulders and typed:

_ Actually, I’m starting not to mind it so much.  The girl that Izaya has me follow has intrigued me more than I expected. _

Shinra blinked.  “Really?  How so?”

_ For one, she’s very courageous and loyal for a girl in her position.  For another, it seems she has some influence over Izaya.  As far as I knew he was uncontrollable.   _

Shinra smirked.  “Curious now, are you?”

Celty nodded. 

“Well, only time will answer your questions.  For now, let’s go to bed.”  Shinra suggested, urging her on.


	13. Carolynn; An Angelic Girl

Carolynn jumped when she heard knocking on her door.  She sat up and yawned.  “I’m coming, I’m coming.”  When she got up, she felt a bit dizzy suddenly and started to tip over when she caught herself.  “What the…”

She went into the bathroom, noticing a gash from part of her cheek bone to over her ear.  From when she hit the bronze fountain statue, she remembered.  When the banging on her door increased, she opened it quickly.

Both of them stared at each other with wide eyes.  Belle was the first to speak.  “Carolynn…Your face…what happened!?”

She grabbed Carol’s hand and cupped her face.  “Was it Izaya!?”

Carol froze.  “What?  No!”  She looked down.  That was the one thing she knew.  No matter what happened between her and Izaya, he would never lay a hand on her with the intent to harm her.  

Belle stared at her a long time.  “Then what happened?  I heard there was a mess yesterday.  Shizuo and Izaya were involved…”

“…It wasn’t them…” Carol urged her sister inside with her and sat down at the table.   “Thirsty?”

“Yeah.”  Belle said.  “But mostly for knowledge.  What happened, Carolynn?”

Carol poured her a cup of tea and set it down for her and sighed.  “It was mostly coincidence.  But a bunch of gangs showed up and then it got messy.”

“So you got the bad end of the deal?”  Belle assumed, sipping her tea.

“Yeah…caught off guard.”  Carol told her with a sigh.

Belle sighed and leaned on her hand.  “I worry about you, every day, Carol.”

She grinned a bit and shook her head.  “Don’t.  I’m fine.”

After a little bit of chatting, Belle went on her way.  Carol got on some of the stupid teen clothes that she was forced to wear for this stupid assignment.  She had just gotten her shirt on when she heard her window in her living room open and close.

She grabbed the pocket knife off her bed and paused in front of her door.

** “I don’t need your crappy knife.”  Carol hissed, smacking away Izaya’s hand.  “Besides, what kind of birthday present is that?” **

** Izaya looked away.  It was her second birthday of her middle school life and she was at her peak of feistiness.  Izaya turned back to her with a grin.  “Well, you seem to piss off a lot of  ** ** girls and I’ve heard several threaten to come after you.  You need some defense.  Just don’t lose it.” **

** Carol took it reluctantly.  “So it replaces you, right?” **

** Izaya raised his hands defensively.  “Hey now!  There’s no need for that.” **

Carol slowly opened her door and gasped when she saw Izaya looking around.  She threw her door open.  “What are you doing?”

His eyes widened a bit but for shock only for a moment.  Then they were focused on the right side of her face.  The gash.  He didn’t respond to her, but stepped up and tilted her head, examining the wound.   His thumb brushed under it, tracing the length back past her hair. 

He let her go and stepped back.  He said, “I’m disappointed, Carolynn.  I thought you were the kind of girl to put up a better fight than that.  To let him beat you so easily…”

She pushed him away.  “Shut up, Izaya.”

Izaya frowned.  “A bit touchy this morning?”

“My head hurts, that’s all.”  She contradicted quickly.  “Besides, who do you think you are, just climbing in my window like you already have permission?”

“I used to.”  He said.

Carol looked down.  “Those days are over, Izaya.”  She turned and headed back to her bedroom.  She gasped when he came at her from behind and put his elbow against her back and pushed her against the wall.  “What are you – “

“Haven’t I told you before that I don’t like when you act like this?”  He whispered against her ear.  His voice was low but she couldn’t tell if it sounded seductive or menacing to her.  But either way it tickled her ear drum and made her skin crawl.  He finished, “You act like there’s been a wall up between us.  Like I don’ t exist any more.   Why torment me with your passive attitude?”

Carol tried to move, but she couldn’t even get her arms from behind her back.  “Why blame me for that?  You’re the one who acts like crap.  You’re doing all of these terrible things that leave me no choice but to fight against you.  I told you that when you let the girl jump.”

Izaya pulled back and glared at her.  “You still have a choice.  You just refuse.”

Carol gritted her teeth.  “And why do you think that is, Izaya?”  She snapped.  “I actually have something that I want to do and all you – “

He cupped her face, his thumb falling onto her lips and silencing her.  She quieted immediately.  His eyes were dark and serious and his words each fell like drops of malice.  “I didn’t come here to fight with you, Car-car .  I came to see.  To see what that bastard had done.   It would be an understatement to say that I’m…pissed to have someone harm what is rightfully mine.”

Carol closed her eyes.  “Rightfully yo urs?”  She asked against his finger s. 

“Yes.  You are.”  Izaya growled.  “I am the only one who can lay a hand on you.”

“And what makes you think you have any more permission than anyone else?” Carol challenged, her eyes opening a bit again.  Izaya was softly stroking her face now, his thumb brushing over her lips in the softest way.  It circled as though memorizing the shape of her lips.  Like there was desire hidden there.  His other fingers slid into her hair.

“It’s in your eyes, my dear, Car-car.”  Izaya informed.  “You can’t lie to me.”

“I know…”  She pulled away and opened her bedroom door.  “I have things to do, though Izaya.  Come bother me another time.”

Izaya grinned, starting after her into the room.  “Sounds fun.  What are we doing?”

She stopped him before he came in.  “ _ We _  are doing nothing.   _ I _  am going out on the town.”

“Not alone?”  Izaya asked, as if awed.

“Yes.”  Carolynn shut the door in his face and locked it while she finished changing her clothes.   “No, idiot.  A few of the…”  She paused.

Izaya leaned on the wall with his arms crossed.  “Were you about to make a reference to the fact that you attend that school – Raira Academy?  I kinda already knew.  And seeing you with those boys the other day was obvious, too.”

Carol slipped out of her pajama pants, pausing.  “Speaking of yesterday, you know Masoami Kida?”

There was a long pause.  Then finally Izaya said, “Yeah, we met.”

“He seemed to have a bad impression of you.”  Carol commented, pulling her skinny jeans up.  “Did you do something to him ,  t o o?”

“And if I did?” Izaya challenged.

Carol shrugged.  “Oh whatever…”   She looked at the belt on her bed and shrugged.  “I give up, Izaya.  I don’t get you.  And I’m not going to get you any time soon…”

Izaya pushed open the door.  “What’s to get?  I’m pretty straight forward.”

Carol glared at him and quickly buttoned up her pants.  “Izaya!  You –  “  She  slapped him and pushed him back  out.  “Pervert!”

“Ouch, harsh.”  He grumbled.

Carol slid the belt through the loops and froze when she heard another knock on her door.  “Wait, Izaya - !”

“I got it!”  He sang, dancing over to the door.  He opened it up and grinned.  “Oh!  It’s you guys again.  Mikado Ryugamine, Masoami Kida, and Anri Sonohara.”

Carol grabbed his hood and yanked him back, closing the door and snapping.  “What are you doing!?”

Izaya blinked, truly shocked by her reaction.  “Well, I was answering the door.”

“Ugh.” Carol snapped and pushed him aside.  “You’re an idiot.”  When she opened the door they were all staring, shocked.

Mikado put on a fake smile.  “So um…was that – “

“Izaya Orihara?” Kida finished.

Carol nodded.  “Yeah.  He was just visiting.  He thought I knew something…”  She leaned back and growled straight to Izaya, “But he was definitely wrong…!”

Izaya walked up, looping his arm around Carol’s neck.  “Don’t be so snide.  You were just inviting me to come hang out with you, right?”

Carol started to shout at him that  they couldn’t be caught together when she remembered that she was undercover.  

“Well, I guess I don’t care.  Do you guys?”  Mikado asked

Kida’s hands clenched into fists but he just said, reluctantly, “No, I don’t care.”

“Good…”  Izaya sang happily.  “So are we ready to go?”

As the others started off, Carol grabbed Izaya’s hoodie and jerked him close so she could hiss into his ear.  “I’m going to kill you for this.”

Izaya winked.  “I accept your challenge, Angel.”


	14. Carolynn; A Girl on the Job

They were all quiet.

Finally Mikado spoke up.  “So, how is everyone?”

“Good.” Said Kida.

“Okay…” Said Anri.

“Fine.”  Carol growled.

“Splendid!” Izaya cheered, dancing alongside of them.

Carol grumbled.  “Izaya, calm down.  You make yourself sound like an ignorant child.”

Izaya made a face and sighed.  “You’ve become so mean, Ca – “

Carolynn elbowed him as hard as she could in his stomach.  He froze up and keeled over.  Carol watched as he rubbed his stomach where she’d jabbed him.  “What…was that for…?”

“I felt like it.”  Carol snapped.  She looked at Kida and Mikado.  “So what do we want to do today?”

“I don’t know.” Kida stated.

“What haven’t we done in a while?” Mikado asked.

“We could –  “ Carol  stopped when she felt her phone bu zzing in her pocket.  Sh e pulled it out and flipped it open.  “Hello?”

“Carolynn?”

She recognized Joe’s voice.  “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Hey, I know you’re out trying to dig up some information, but I got a curious assignment for you.  There’s a strange guy wandering around the park.  Some locals are really freaked out and we need to get him under control.  If you’re out anyway, I’d like the help.”

“Yeah, I got ya.  I’ll check it out.”

“Cool.  Steven is nearby, too, I’ll send him – “

“No!”  She shouted sharply.  She looked down.  “Er, no thank you.”

“Carol, are you okay?  Did something happen?”

“No, I’m fine, I’m fine.”

She hung up.

Kida looked at her curiously.  “Who was that?”

“That was your bo –  “ Izaya  started  until, this time, Carol stomped on his foot with her heel.  He let out a little screech and jumped.  “What the hell!?”

“That was my sister.  An emergency has come up and she needs me to go help her out.  Take a rain-check?”  Carol asked, backing up from them.  She was already turning and taking off.

She got to the park at the same time that Steven did.  He glanced at her, but was already pulling his gun out.  “Where is he?”

Carol shrugged.  “I have no idea.”  She stated.  She climbed up the tree and got a good look around.  She saw the strange guy bent over a pile of canvas paper.  “There!”  She leapt out of the tree as Steven ran up to him.  He immediately pulled out a gun and pointed it at the guy.

“Stop right there!”  He shouted.  “Get down on your knees and put your hands up!”

Carol gasped and pushed the barrel of his gun down.  “Knock it off.  We’re only supposed to be talking to him.  Sir, we’ve gotten several complaints about your behavior.  I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to leave.”

The guy started to shake.  “No, I don’t want to leave.”

Carol looked down at his pictures.   “What were you drawing?”

“A Dulahan…”  He stammered, picking them up quickly and screaming.  “You can’t have them!  They’re mine!  Mine mine mine mine!”

Carol waved her hands.  “Calm down, we’re not going to take them.  We just need you to leave before you disturb any more civilians, okay?”

“D-d-d-d-disturb?”  He stammered, looking around.  He was clearly wacked out on some drug.

Carol nodded.  “ Yeah.  We just need you to go  home.”

He trembled, clutching his stuff to his chest and running off.  Carol rubbed her head.  “That was easy enough.”

Steven started to say something when a clapping made both him and her turn around.

Izaya walked up with a big grin on his face.  “That was well-handled.”

“Izaya!”  Carol shouted.

He walked up to Steven.  “For a cop, you sure are hot-headed.  That could have ended in an unnecessarily cruel way, except that wonderful Carolynn here  kept that from ending in disaster.”

Steven’s eyes narrowed.  “This is perfect.  Now that we’re not undercover, we can turn you in.”  He pulled out a set of handcuffs and held them up.  “So, easy way or hard way?”

“Neither way, actually.”  Izaya’s smile dropped right off of his face.  “I came here because I have a score to settle with you.”

“Oh really?  What score?” Steven challenged.

Carol’s eyes widened with recognition.  She dove in between Izaya and Steven.  “Izaya, stop!  Don’t.  Just let it go.”

Izaya’s eyes slowly narrowed, like he could see right through her and into Steven.  “Get out of the way, Carolynn.”

Carol kept her arms out.  “No.  Stoppit Izaya.”

Izaya cupped her face and she winced for a moment.  Only one thought passed through her head.  Was she wrong?  Would Izaya turn on her as well?  But he stroked her face gently and whispered.  “I’m going to kill this guy.  Now please move, or I will simply go around you.”

“Izaya…”  She grabbed his wrist before he dove around her.  She pulled him right back.  “Stop this, now!”

Izaya made a face.  “You make no sense, Car-car.”  He took a step back and pulled her right with him.  “He  _ hit  _ you.  Why are you still working with him?”

“Because I have to, Izaya.  If I report him for anything then it’s only going to make me look even worse than I already do.”  Carolynn explained sharply.

“If this is so hard on you, why do you keep suffering through it?  Just quit!”  Izaya asked.

“No, I have to do this, for myself!”  She argued.  

He grabbed her collar and pulled her in close.  “I’ve dealt with a lot of silly thing you do, Carolynn, but I can’t believe this one at all.  You have no reason to suffer through this!  There’s opportunity for you elsewhere.  What is so important to you that you’d let this guys just – “

“I want to make up for what I’ve done!”  Carolynn shouted.  “That’s all I want!”

Izaya paused, still gripping her collar.  He looked over at Steven and then back to her.  He dropped her.  “I’m sorry, Car-car.  But I’m not just going to let this guy get away with hitting you.”

She grabbed his hoodie.  “If you attack him, Izaya, then you’ll go to jail.”

He paused.

“They’ll really get you this time.”  Carolynn told him, pressing her face to his hood.  “I don’t want that.  I want you to stay here…please…”  She begged sadly.

It took all of his strength to put the knife away.  He pushed Carolynn back and grabbed Steven’s collar this time.  “If you ever lay a hand on her again, I will come back and  I  _ will _  kill you.”

Carolynn sighed as he started to walk off.  “Thank you, Izaya.”

He stopped and turned back to face her.  After eyeing her a moment, he stomped back over, grabbed her wrist and pulled her along.  He called over his shoulder loud enough for Steven to hear him.  “There’s no way I’m going to leave you here to get beaten by the cop again.  Hopefully, next time, there will be a witness.”

Carolynn looked back at Steven.  Things were going to get a lot harder at the station now.  She sighed, puffing her bangs out of her hair.  “Izaya, you make my life a thousand times harder.”

“And you make my life a thousand times more worth living.”

Carolynn smiled gently to herself.


	15. Belle; A Broken Girl

The next day was like a nice break.  It was Sunday and a great day to clean.  Carolynn had agreed to help her first with cleaning her apartment – which wasn’t that bad since she had just recently moved in – and then cleaning Carol’s apartment.

Carol had been silent for most of the morning and it was starting to bother Belle…

A lot.

Belle set her glass down.  “So did you have fun with the kiddies at school yesterday?”

“Going back to high school sucks.” She responded.

Belle turned back to her.  She was kneeled in front of the couch, reaching under and trying to pull out some of the trash that had gotten scooped under there.  That was her signature when cleaning.  If she couldn’t get a vacuum someplace – her hand would be there instead.  Belle pulled the vacuum out of the closet. “Why do you say that?”

“It’s all that crap I have to start doing again: Homework, social functions, after school activities.  All that junk.  I’m supposed to be blending in as a good student.”

“You could just pretend to be who you were in middle school.”  Belle teased.

But she could see that Carolynn didn’t think it was funny.  She stiffened and kept her head tilted away so Belle couldn’t see her face.  “Shut up.”

Belle frowned and stopped cleaning dishes for a moment.  “Carol, can I ask you a serious question?  I asked you this already, but you brushed me off because he interrupted.  I don’t understand you.”  Belle paused and waited for her to face her so that she could ask this, “You act defensive and regretful when you think about the things you did with him.  And when I ask if you’re in love with him, you avoid the subject as much as possible.  But then, you protect him by all means and I can tell in your eyes that you’re always thinking about him.  Carolynn; 

“What is he to you?”

Carol got up and unwound the cord for the vacuum without saying anything.  She plugged it in and slid it over to the couch.  Belle started to turn back around because she thought she was being ignored, when Carol dropped onto the arm and said, “I don’t say anything, because, truthfully, I don’t know.”  She sighed and tipped her head up.  She was speaking quietly so Belle walked out to hear her better.  “This is going to sound cheesy”, she continued, “But…I was terrible person in middle school because he had such an influence on me.  In high school I started to change because of an accident that happened between us.  Here’s the thing though…In elementary school, when we first became friends…

“ Izaya was a sweet guy.   He  purposefully  distanced himself from everyone for some reason, but me being the hard-headed, cares too much about everyone’s business kind of girl, kept pushing for his friendship.  It didn’t take long for him to let down his guard.  He would never have admitted it back then, but he took care of me.  When I got bullied, he’d stand up for me.  He had my back any time I needed it.  All those times that our parents…”  Her voice drifted.  Belle didn’t need to hear where she was going with that one.  She closed her eyes with acknowledgement so Carol continued, “…he was the one I went to.  He protected me and cheered me up when I cried.

“He’s never been the same since middle school.  I don’t know what happened to him to make him like this.  But he had done so much for me that I…I couldn’t stand to be away from him.  Then he started messing with people…playing with them really.  But he kept me by his side.  I was happy because I needed him.  I needed that protection.  I know that you were there for me the whole time too, but just…having him there…it something else.  I was willing to do anything for him, Belle.  And now I look back; some of the things he convinced me to do were so wrong and I hate myself every day for it.

“But I can’t blame, Izaya.  I chose to do it.  No matter how good he is at manipulating and pushing, in the end, the person he’s playing with has to have some inclination to do it.  When I came to my senses right before high school, I told him that I was done doing wrong.  Part of me hoped that he would stop and follow me now instead.  But I was too hopeful.  He didn’t see what he was doing as wrong at all.  He laughed a little at me, but…

“He never did leave my side.  There was a distance between us through high school, but when I needed him the most, somehow he always showed up.  When he came to me at my Junior Prom – remember when Kyle decided to take Stacy last minute instead? – and cheered me up, I felt like…maybe…maybe I could bring back my old Izaya…the Izaya that I could say anything to.  The one that didn’t use me like a doll.  Every day I wake up and think through my every action and ask:

‘Is there some way that I can bring him back?’”

Belle kneeled down in front of Carol, staring into her sad eyes.  She had never seen her sister so hung up  on one little delima before.  She could see just how much it ate at her.  Carol whispered, “But I don’t know whether I love him or hate him.”

Belle smiled and patted her knee.  “That’s easy, silly.”  When Carol looked at her with questioning eyes, she clarified, “Carolynn, you can’t hate somebody if you don’t love them.  You may be upset with him, but…the only way you can say that you hate him is if you actually love him and you just hate the way he’s acting.  Does that sound right?”

Carol smiled just a little.  “Yeah…”

Belle stood on up.  “I have to apologize.  I judged you hanging out with him as some kind of rebel phase you were going through.  I had no idea that he was the one you were spending all of your time with in elementary school when that…mess happened.”

“I can’t tell you…”  Carol whispered.  “How much he helped me back then…”  She gripped her jeans.  “I thought about killing myself…I really did…but he…” Carol felt tears start to form.  “He’s the reason I’m still here.”

Belle wrapped her arms around her sister and pulled her up off the couch.  “Carol…I’m a terrible sister.  I had no idea you were struggling so much.  How could he see that and help you when I couldn’t?  It must have hurt so much…will you ever forgive me, Carolynn?”

Carol grinned and pressed her forehead to her sister’s.  “There’s nothing to forgive.  We were both struggling through the same things.  Besides, I’m the older sister.  I am the one that’s supposed to protect you from having to endure that kind of pain.”

Belle giggled softly.  “Guess we’re both failures.”

Carol rested her hand on top of Belle’s head.  “Yeah, why do you think the two of us get along so well?”

Belle laughed along.  “Okay, now let’s finish up my apartment so we can get on to yours.”

There wasn’t much left to do so it went by rather quickly.  It helped that she wasn’t distracted anymore by Carol was so quiet and upset.  As her sister, she wanted to help her in any way she could.  But now she was dancing around, singing along with the music.

“All done?”  Belle questioned.

Carol nodded.  “All done.”

Belle turned off the TV that was playing the music station and  headed out, locking the door behind them.  “So how bad is your apartment?”

“Only a little worse than yours.”  She stated, skipping to her door.  She went to put the key in and stopped.

Belle blinked.  “What’s wrong?”

Carol shook her head.  “Nothing.  I just felt weird all of a sudden.”  She unlocked her door and opened, pausing in the doorway.  Belle looked over her shoulder to see a boy sitting on her couch, legs propped up on the arm rest, reading.  With the window on the other side of the couch, she couldn’t identify who it was.

But Carol answered that for her.  “What are you doing in my apartment, Izaya!?”

“Killing time.”  He sang, turning a page in his book.  “Predictable.  I figured that your collection of books would comprise mostly of detective stories.  This one particularly is a lot like Sherlock Holmes.  Is he your idol?”

“No.”  Carol growled, taking off her shoes.  “Leave, you weren’t invited in.”

Belle took her shoes off as well, but stayed quiet.  She wasn’t quite sure how to react.  Carol was clearly giving him the order to leave, but for some reason, and she was sure that Izaya noticed it, too, it didn’t seem like her order was sincere.  It was almost like she had hoped he was here.

Izaya’s cold gaze turned on her.  “Belle, we didn’t get much of a chance to talk the other day.  How are you?”

Belle hesitated.  “Good.  I’ve been working hard – “

“Excited to have gotten that job working with the vet clinic in downtown Ikebukuro?”  Izaya asked, sitting up and setting the book aside.  “The Doc says that you’re exceptional in practice and was surprised that it was only your second year in college.”

Belle’s eyes widened.  “How did you know that?”

“However, he also said that he was a bit disappointed in your work ethic.  Says he was concerned about you always being distracted at work.  He’s worried that you might mess up and do something you’re not supposed to.  Careful, it’s a person’s best friend you’re messing with.  Kill them and you could ruin their lives.”  Izaya stated but waved his hand.  “I’m sorry, that’s probably not your concern.  You’re much more worried about those secrets you’re hiding.  Maybe something about the real reason you moved to Ikebukuro?”

Belle dropped her bag of cleaning supplies.  She took a step back.  “How…how could you know… wh- what are you?”

Carol’s eyes widened and she smacked Izaya across the face.  “Don’t you dare do that to my  sister!   That’s taking it too far –  “  She  gasped when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her onto the couch with him.  She fell across his lap and he held her down as she struggled.

Belle watched them, her body frozen with horror.  Izaya smirked up at her.  “Don’t get involved, Belle.  You don’t want to mess up your happy little life, do you?”

No matter how much she would hate herself for it later, she was too scared to stay.  She turned and ran.  Not back to her apartment, but back somewhere else.  Somewhere far away.  There was no way in the world someone could have found out.

She thought she was better than that.


	16. Carolynn; A Bad Test-Taker

Carol didn’t touch a single question on her test.

She felt someone in the classroom staring at her.  She didn’t care.

When she’d woken up, she didn’t do her hair…or make-up.

She was a mess.

But it was a Monday so everyone understood.

She looked at her reflection in the classroom window.  She really didn’t want to be here.  She didn’t want to be anywhere.  But her mind was still back in her apartment.  The look on her sister’s face.  The things Izaya said…

** “Belle!”  Carol screamed to the open door.  “Come back here!”  She struggled more, trying to get her hands free from Izaya.  “Let me go right now you little – “ **

** “Calm down.”  Izaya ordered, his eyes sparkling with amusement. **

** She got one hand free and hit him again, but this time he glared at her and used his knee to keep her held down.  “Would you stop hitting me?” **

** “No!  Would you let me go!?”  She snarled, grabbing a bit of his hair and yanking down. **

** “Ow, ow ow!”  Izaya growled, trying to pull away.  “You’re overreacting.” **

** “You don’t mess with my sister!”  Carol screamed.  “That’s where I draw the line!” **

** “But did you notice how she reacted!”  Izaya snapped, knocking her hand off his head and pinning both of them to the couch, his face inches from hers.  “Your sister is lying to you.  She’s keeping secrets that could destroy both of you.” **

** “So what?” Carol snapped.  “That’s probably why she’s keeping it a secret!  I trust her!  If I need to know then she’ll tell me!  If not then it’s not important!”  She screamed.  “Unlike you, I know that I can trust her decisions.” **

** Izaya blinked, taken aback.  “Unlike me?” **

** Taking her chance, Carol kneed him in the stomach and rolled out from under him and ran to the door.  But by the time she got there, Belle was long gone.  “Belle…” **

** Izaya pulled her back in and shut the door.  “What did you mean by that?” **

** She stumbled and glared at him.  “What do you think?  I don’t trust you.  I don’t know what you’re doing or whether or not ** **  anything you say is logical.  You’re crazy if you think I’m a blind puppet.  I have my own thoughts and right now, I’m really pissed off at you for saying that to my sister.”  She moved past him and opened the door.  “Get out of my apartment.  Now.” **

** “Car-car, don’t be so nasty.  We’re still – “ **

** “Now.”  She demanded, her red eyes flaring viciously.  “I’m done playing games with you.” **

** He put his hands in his pockets and strolled out.  “Well, I’m not done playing yet.  We’ll see where this game lands us.” **

Where was Belle?

And what was this game that Izaya was playing?

She looked down at her blank test.  Was this game the reason he changed?  How long has he been playing it?

What will it mean if he wins?

When the bell rang, she jumped.  She lowered her head, ashamed for not getting her test completed.

Masoami walked over and looked over her shoulder.  “Didn’t study?”

“Er…no I didn’t.”  Carol whispered, her thoughts scattered.  She was in bad position right now.  She could easily blow her cover.

“So, we haven’t gotten to talk.”  Kida commented, sitting down as the rest of the class left.  “You’re associated with Izaya Orihara?”

She gave up.

“Yes.  I am.”  She whispered.

“How?”  Kida asked quickly and then paused.  “Actually…all I honestly want to know…is he the one…you were talking about the other day?”

She looked down.  She grabbed her bag and left her test on the desk.  As she walked away, she told him, “Yeah, he is.”

She didn’t see Kida for the rest of the day.

After school, in the park with Anri and Mikado, she listened to them as they talked about her friend, a stalker, and her relationship with Seiji.  Carol found it too suspicious that she’d disappeared after stalking him and then he stopped showing up at school.

She went to the library afterschool to do some research.

She didn’t find as much as she would have liked.  Only a couple things on their address and missing child reports.  Nothing of importance.

Late in the evening she finally left.  It was pretty dark, the only light in town was the city lights.  It means that it was little bright for the time of day.  She was getting close to home when she felt someone following her.  She half expected the black bike, but instead, she saw a person behind her.  She stopped and turned.  “What are you following me for?”

The person didn’t say anything.  But it drew a knife.

Carol’s eyes widened and she jumped back before the knife slashed her.  She pulled out a gun and  stopped the knife in it s tracks.  Carol gritted her teeth.  The person was really strong but she held her own.  “What are you after…?”

She froze when she saw that it had red eyes.  In that moment, it was able to knock the gun out of her hands.  Carol gasped, stumbling backward and barely missed a direct hit with the knife.  She turned and landed a full-force kick to the person’s stomach, sending them stumbling backward.

Carol went in to put it down for the count but it turned and ran away before she could land another hit.  Carol watched it run away.  She thought about taking after it and turning it in, but decided that it wasn’t worth her time.  She sighed and started off when the Black Rider slid to a stop in front of her.  She typed:

_ Are you okay? _

Carol shrugged her shoulders and picked up her gun.  “Funny, you always seem to be around.”

The Black Rider froze.

Carol slid her gun back in the holster.  “I wonder if you’re following  me? ”

She typed:

_ It’s not like that, I’m not a stalker. _

“I know.”  Carol told her.  “You’re being paid to do it, right?”  The Black Rider watched her closely as she continued.  “I had my suspicions about your work when you were there the night that girl tried to commit suicide.  But now I’ve put the pieces together.  You work for Izaya Orihara, don’t you?”

_ I do _ .

Carol started laughing, looking up into the sky.

_ Are you okay? _

Carol rubbed her face.  “I hate him so much sometimes…”

_ Are you talking about Izaya? _

“Yeah.”

_ Of all the things to hate him for, why this?  He asked me to protect you. _

“You wouldn’t understand but…I’m upset that he hired someone else to do  _ his _  job.”  Carol stated, slipping her hands in her pockets and walking off.  “Good night, Black Rider.”


	17. Izaya; A Sleepless Boy

Izaya sighed, leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling.  His computer booted up slowly.  When he looked at his background once again, he thought about what she said in her apartment.

His phone buzzed.  It was a text message.  From the Black Rider.

_ She said something to me today.  She said that she’s upset that I’m doing your job now.  What is she talking about? _

Izaya closed his phone and tossed it aside.  He heard it fall to the floor.  He typed in his password with one finger while leaning on his other hand.  “This game isn’t any fun if you don’t play along, Carolynn.”  

He looked at his screen for a long time.  “Why are you so disappointed in me…?”

The all-too-familiar chat box opened up on his screen.  He jumped a bit.

It said:

Taro Tanaka: Hey! Kanra!  We got a new member today.

Setton:  She’s pretty cool.  

Evitceted: Aw, thanks guys.  Hi Kanra.

Izaya smirked and typed:

Kanra: Welcome.

Evitceted: Thank you.  So what’s this ‘Dollars’ gang all about?

Setton: Who knows?

Kanra: They’re just an under-the-radar color gang.  Without a color that is.  But they keep starting things with the Yellow Scarves.

Taro Tanaka: A lot of it is just rumor though…

Kanra: If you say so…

Evitceted: Does anybody know who started the group?

Kanra: Why so curious?  What are you, a detective?

Izaya paused.   He took another look at the visitor’s screen name and started laughing at himself.  He sent Evitceted a private message.

Kanra:  Hey Angel, I’d suggest you stop digging into the color gangs.

Evitceted: What the hell?

Kanra:  Miss me?

Evitceted: …

Evitceted: …Izaya?

Kanra:  Bingo!

Evitceted: My god, I can’t get away from you.

Kanra:  Why would you want to get away from me?

Evitceted: Cause you’re making my life as difficult as possible.

Kanra:  Hey, you came to  _ my _  chatroom.  Don’t blame me.

Evitceted has left the chatroom.

Taro Tanaka:  Hey, where did she go?

Kanra:  Who knows?

Setton:  Think she’ll come back?

Kanra:  Don’t hold your breath…

Izaya scooted away from the computer and leaned back, sighing.  Some days were so hard.  That girl made his eagerness to play this game more challenging.  There were some days that he just didn’t want to play at all anymore.

He looked at his computer again.

Some days that he just wanted to throw it all away and hold her again.

But it was too late to go back to that now.  He’d dug too far into this mess that he had to clean it up before he could return to her.

But he swore that one day he would.

He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep in his chair until his phone going off woke him up.  He absently picked it up and grumbled.  “What?”

There was a long pause.

His eyes snapped open when he heard her voice.  “…Please don’t make me regret this phone call.”

“Carolynn?”  He sat up and moved his mouse to wake up the computer and look at the time.  “Why are you calling me at one in the morning?”

“I can’t sleep…”  She whispered.  He could hear that her voice was gravely and a little shaky.

His eyes softened.  It had been so long since he’d heard this side of her.  “So then why call me?”

“Because I can’t get a hold of my sister.”

Izaya winced.  That really wasn’t the kind of response he was anxious for.  “Oh.”

“And…because you used to help me when I couldn’t.”

Izaya looked at his keyboard.  He said quietly, “I still would if you’d just call me.”

“How could you expect me to call you up like everything is normal?  I don’t even know who you are any more.”

“For you, I’m still me.”

“And for everyone else?”

“I suppose you could say ‘devil’.”

“And that’s okay?”

“I don’t care what they think of me, Carolynn.”  Izaya informed.  He got out of his chair and dropped onto his couch.

“But you care what I think of you?”

Izaya smirked to himself.  “Yeah, I do.”

“Well, in that case, I think you’re a real ass.”

“Ouch.”  Izaya fake winced.

“But…you picked up the phone so I guess I can’t say much.”

Izaya paused.  “Car, why can’t you sleep?”

“I’m scared…” Her response was fast, like she was waiting for him to ask.  

His grip tightened a bit on the phone.  “You’re scared?  Why?”

He almost missed her soft whisper, “I was attacked by the Slasher today.”

He nearly dropped the phone but sat up a little more.  “You what?  Are you okay?”

“I thought it was your job to know.”

Then suddenly he realized what that text message the Black Rider sent him meant.  What she was saying.  All of the things  s he’ d expected out of him  and he’d failed to do.  It hit him that she was right.  He was changing; of course she wouldn’t know who he was any more.

“Did he hurt you, Carolynn?”

“No…”

Sitting there, alon e on his couch, the sound of her  voice; he wanted to hold her.  He nearly stroked his phone, just out of the desire to run his fingers through her hair and run them down her back.  He didn’t want her to be alone in that moment; but maybe…

…he didn’t want to be alone either.

“Did he follow you home?”

“No, he ran away.  But…I don’t know why he came after me, Izaya!”

“Shh, shh…”  He gripped his hair with frustration.  He needed to be there with her.  “He won’t come back.  I’ll make sure of it.”

“…Promise?”

Izaya paused.  The answer was easy, but he was startled by the brittleness of her voice.  The soft side she’d refused to show him for the longest time.  “Of course I do.”

“Could you…do me one more favor?”  

“Anything for you, Car-car.”

“Will you stay on the phone with me, tonight?  Please…”

He leaned back, his head on the arm of the couch.  A small smirk quirked his lip but he tried not to chuckle.  She was serious and so was he, but he was overcome by a wave of pure joy.  “Yeah.  I’ll plug my phone in so it doesn’t die.”

He did exactly as he told her, listening to her whisper her sweet story about how she was getting on the right path for her job, learning about one missing student and finally getting a suspect.  She told him about how excited she was to tell her boss.  Her only hope was that she could get the girl before anything bad happened to her.

She fell asleep after her story.

He  could hear her gentle snoring on the other end of the line.  It made him tired, but more than that, it made him wish that he could be laying right there with her, comforting her.  He smiled when he realized that he couldn’t even force himself to sleep.  He was listening to more than her sleeping.  He was listening to everything around her.

Some part of him was scared the Slasher would come back.

He wouldn’t let anything hurt her.

Ever again.


	18. Carolynn; A Daring Girl

Carolynn yawned herself awake the next morning, startled her phone fell off of her as she sat up out of bed.  She rubbed her eyes and saw that there was a missed text message.  It read:

_ Hope you don’t mind, Angel, but I hung up when the sun rose.  I hope you had sweet dreams; my preference would be with me in them, but if not I’ll deal. _

Carol stared at the message for the longest time, her heart soaring in her chest.  Finally she got the guts to text back.

_ Thanks Izaya, it meant a lot. _

To her surprise, in the middle of making breakfast before school, her phone buzzed again.  She smiled as she read:

_ Well, it wasn’t like I was going to sleep anyway. _

Before she could even text back, she got another one that said.

_ I was worried about you… _

Her eyes widened a bit.  She really wanted to call him, but was scared it would be weird, considering everything that had happened.  She really didn’t want to give him a reason to think she was beginning to give in, but the truth was, that she was.  She wanted to be near him again; she wanted things to go back to how they were.

She texted back:

_ If you’re so worried about me, why do you send others to protect me instead? _

The text back within a moment surprised her.

_ Would you rather it be me? _

It didn’t take her nearly as long to process it as it should have.  All she could think about was the rush of calm that came over her when she thought that no matter what, he’d be watching her and protecting her.  It caused her already frantic heart to go crazy.  She replied:

_ Yes. _

She smiled even more when she got back:

_ Done. _

She set her phone down and finished making her cereal.  As she sat at her table, she wondered just what she’d agreed to.   Would he do something creepy like…sit outside her classroom window and stare at her?

She paused.  Or was he really taking her seriously?  Was he honestly still concerned about her?  She started to eat her cereal when she got another text.

_ You know you just asked me to be your stalker right?  I didn’t know you were that kind of girl. ;) _

She smirked.  He was definitely not taking her seriously.

_ Better you than someone else. _

She almost laughed out loud at the next text.

_ Finally!  The recognition I deserve! _

It was an odd feeling as she texted him up until the very moment she walked into class .  She didn’t realize how easy  it was to forget about everything and just have a casual conversation with him for once.  She didn’t have to worry about who was listening in or watching them.  To put all of the past behind them and just…talk.  That feeling; it put her at ease.

At lunch on the rooftop, she was startled when Steven confronted her.  “So who have you been texting all day?”

“No one.” Carol snapped quickly, turning away from him.

“Well, no one sure likes to talk a lot.”  Steven snapped.

“My life is none of your god damn business.”  Carol snarled.  “So, butt the fuck out.”  She turned away and walked passed him to the fence that lined the roof-yard.  Her phone went off again.

_ I really don’t like that guy. _

Carol’s eyes widened and she looked around.  She saw him, just standing plain as day, in front of the school.  He smiled up at her and waved.  Her heart fluttered in reaction.  She texted him.

_ You’re not a very good stalker.  I’m not supposed to see you. _

She got an even weirder fluttery feeling as she watched him read a text that she knew was from her.   He had a bright red phone that she hadn’t see before.   He looked back up at her and smirked with that devilish grin.

Her phone buzzed.

_ But this makes the stalking a little more intimate, don’t cha think? ;) _

She closed her phone without texting back and waved it.  He smiled and put his phone away, climbing the tree quickly and jumping to the outside edge of the roof.  He grabbed a hold of the fence and looked at the other kids.  He smirked.  “Careful, your cop friend will see me.”

“I don’t care.”

This must have caught Izaya a bit off-guard because he did a double-take.  “Excuse me?”

“I don’t care if he notices or not.  If I get fired for something as silly as this, then it wasn’t worth it.”  Carolynn informed.  “I’ll find other ways to repent.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.”  Izaya waved his hands.  “All this time I’ve been trying to get you to quit and all that it takes for you to give in is just seeing me?  Man, do I look that good or what?”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”  Carol snapped, looking away to hide the blush.  She leaned on the fence, almost against him.  “This is only temporary.  Until the Slasher is gone.  It freaks me out that either that thing has a grudge against me or is just a random serial killer.”

Izaya hesitated.  There was something foreign in his expression and his fingers tightened on the chain-link.  “Don’t worry about that thing, okay?”

“Why?” Carol smirked.  “If I didn’t know you better, Izaya, I’d say you almost sound like you care about me.”

He paused and then pushed back from the fence, shrugging his shoulders.  “Who knows, maybe I’m just crazy.”

As he jumped off she shouted to him, “You are crazy!”

He waved, walking off.

She got a text message about two minutes later.

_ Crazy about you… _


	19. Belle; A Wandering Girl

It started raining in the evening the next day.  Belle sat at her desk, staring out her window.  But it wasn’t of her apartment.  She was too startled to go back there.   H er mind wan dered.

She looked over when her phone buzzed at the edge of her desk.  She flipped it open.

_ Where are you? _

Belle sighed and texted back.

_ Don’t worry, I’m okay. _

The text back was pretty quick.

_ Don’t worry?  Belle, it’s been two days and you haven’t come back home. _

Belle didn’t respond to the text.  She set her phone aside.  She left her room for a few minutes to go to the lobby.  She couldn’t really explain why it bothered her so much.  Just something about the fact someone may know the truth set her on edge.

She would have returned immediately, but she didn’t trust that Izaya wouldn’t still be hanging around.  She ordered a pop from the lobby-bar.  She couldn’t stay there another day though.  Her check wasn’t big enough to pay for a hotel room for another night.

She was startled by a vending machine rolling into the lobby.  She blinked, watching a man roll in after it.  She watched as that same guy jumped up and scurried away.  Belle started to ask what happened when a blonde guy walked in.  He started to go after the guy when Belle cut him off.  “Hey, what’s going on here?”

The guy growled.  “Get out of my way.”

Belle narrowed her eyes.  “No.  My sister is a cop and if you’re assaulting that man, don’t think I’m afraid to get her involved.”

“Oh you’re one of those.”  The guy grumbled through his cigarette.  “A goody-two-shoes who doesn’t like to get the little people involved.”

Belle blinked.  “I – “

“Wait, your sister is a cop?”  He tipped his head.  “You wouldn’t happen to be Belle Selph, would you? ”

Belle gaped a bit.  “What?  How…do you know that?”

The guy laughed.  “You look just like your sister.  I’m Shizuo Heiwajima.  We met in high school a few times.”

“Heiwajima…”  Belle gaped.  “Oh!  You’re the blond one that always got into fights Izaya Orihara.”

Shizuo gritted his teeth and his hands clenched at his sides.  “Yeah…that little bastard…”

Belle looked behind her, seeing that the guy Shizuo was attacking was gone.  “So…why were you attacking that guy?”

Shizuo pointed to the guy with the dreadlocks standing outside the broken hotel lobby window.  “I beat the shit out of the guys that owe money to his agency.”

“Ohh…” Belle stated.  “Kinda suits you, huh?”

Shizuo shrugged.  “I preferred being a bartender.”

“Why?” Belle asked.

“That’s what my brother wanted me to do.”  Shizuo answered.

“I see.”  Belle sighed and grabbed her drink.  “Well, I’ll let you get back to your work.”

“Wait.”  Shizuo called.  When Belle stopped and turned around, he said, “I don’t really know you, but are you okay?  You seem…down about something.”

Belle paused, a frown on her lips.  “I…I’m just thinking about something that someone said.”  She added, “This may sound weird to ask you, but…is it okay to keep secrets…if it’s to protect someone?”

Shizuo rubbed the back of his head.  “Well, in my opinion, yes.  But, I don’t really know what the answer to that question is supposed to be. ”

Belle shrugged.  “I don’t know.”

“Your sister said that you were moving to the city.  So why are you staying in a hotel?”  Shizuo asked.  He motioned to his friend and the guy went on off.

Belle sat down at one of the tables and sipped away.  Shizuo sat down across from her.  Belle explained, “So, this sounds silly but, my sister has a friend and –  “ She  stopped, realizing how senseless it was to beat around the bush when Shizuo knew who they were.  “Izaya said something and it got me thinking.  Now I’m having issues facing my sister.”

“Man, that bastard just has to butt into everyone’s business, doesn’t he?”  Shizuo grumbled .  “What’d he say?”

Belle froze for a moment.  “He…er…nothing.”

Shizuo crossed his arms.  “Oh.  He figured out your secrets, right?”

Belle nodded.  Shizuo sighed and lit a cigarette.  “Don’t feel bad for it, okay?  Everyone has secrets that they don’t share.  And, especially if you’re keeping those secrets for the sake of protecting someone.  If, in your heart, you know  it’s  right, then don’t question it.”

Belle smiled, watching him through the gentle fog of the cigarette.  “You know, you have some really good advice.”

Shizuo chuckled.  “Your sister tells me that I would be the best best friend ever.  I don’t know.”

Belle blushed when the comment rolled off her tongue before she could control it.  “Or you’re definitely qualified boyfriend material.”

Shizuo started laughing out loud.  “That’s a good one.”

She looked away without saying anything.  She felt suddenly awkward that he would make such a joke about something she thought was serious.  Shizuo stopped laughing and looked at his hand.  “You just moved to Ikebukuro…and we didn’t ever get to know each other, so I suppose that you wouldn’t know…”

“Huh?” Belle questioned.

Shizuo leaned forward, elbows on the table.  “I’m…not normal.  I’m dangerous.  When I get mad, I hurt everyone around me.  It scares me to think about it.  To think about hurting the people that I care about.  But…because of this inhuman strength, everyone is afraid to get near me.  I’m incapable of being loved by anyone.”

“That’s a very sad way to look at yourself.”  Belle whispered.  She subconsciously reached over and touched his hand.   “But I’m sure that one day…you’ll find someone who doesn’t mind having a strong guy by her side.”

Shizuo smirked and for a moment, she thought he was a very attractive man.  Not some inhuman monster he claimed that he was.  Belle withdrew just a bit.  “Shizuo…?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you…be interested in going out with me sometime?”  Belle couldn’t believe she’d had the guts to just outright ask like that.  She winced, preparing for rejection.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”  Shizuo chuckled just a bit.  “You seem like a pretty safe girl.  The kind that would stay  _ away _  from Izaya Orihara.”

Belle giggled softly.  “Yes.  Unlike my sister.”  She stood up.

Shizuo puffed on his cigarette.  “Idiot.”

“I used to think so, too.”  Belle informed.  “But I learned you can’t really judge what a person does until you know the whole story.  Sometimes I feel bad for thinking what I thought back then.”  She waved.  “But I’m going back to my room and I think tomorrow I’ll go back home.”

“Wait.”  Shizuo pulled out a folded piece of paper and scribbled on it.  “Here’s my number.  If that guy ever gives you any trouble, call me ASAP.”

She smiled.  “Thank you, Shizuo.”   She took the folded paper and made her way back to her hotel room.  She picked up her phone and saw that she had five missed calls.

All of them were from Carolynn.  She sent her sister a text back.

_ It’s _ _  okay, Sis.  I’m coming back tomorrow, okay? _

The response:

_ Okay, I miss you. _


	20. Carolynn; A Kidnapped Girl

The following Friday, Carolynn was at her wits-end with tests and homework.  She grumbled aloud.  “This is ridiculous…!”

Izaya jumped down from one of the onnings and started to walk alongside her.  “What’s ridiculous?”

“This work load.  They want me to do six assignments and then study for three tests.”  Carol sighed.

Izaya frowned.  “Why do you care, it’s not like you’re actually attending school, ya know.”  He laughed and danced around in front of her.  “Or have you gotten so caught up in our memories together that you long to return to high school and pretend like things are the same?”

Carol stopped and stared at him.

Izaya grinned.  “I’m right aren’t I? ”

Carol grabbed his hoodie.  “I thought I told you to stop messing with me!?”

He raised his hands.  “Easy, Car-car.  I didn’t do anything.  You did.  It’s just the way it is, when a person cherishes something and the opportunity arises, they do what they can to try and reincarnate the memory.  Ya know?”

Carol sighed, dropping down on the bench the sidewalk.  “Are you saying I’ve lost my ability to surprise you?  I’ve become predictable, just like everyone else?”

Izaya stood in front of her, his eyes narrowed.  He cupped her face and lifted her head up.  “You will never be like everyone else.  Ever.”

“Izaya…” Carol whispered, her eyes glazed.

Izaya stroked her cheek with his fingers, the cold metal of his ring making her skin crawl.  “If you had the potential to be like anyone else, I wouldn’t care about you the way I do.”

Her heart ached.  She  grasped his hand with her own and held it to her cheek.  “Izaya…I – “

He pulled away suddenly when his phone went off.  She was left with a numbing feeling of longing but she said nothing.  She lowered her head just a bit so he wouldn’t see her face.  He spoke quietly for several minutes before closing his phone and turning back to her.  “I need to go take care of something.  Can you make your way home from here?”

Carol stood up.  “Of course I can.”  She snapped, brushing forcefully by him.

He sighed, watching her go before he turned and took off the other direction.

As she walked, she cursed herself for being so vulnerable around him.  She was shaken by just how right he was though, she was using this high school experience as an excuse to  pretend that everything was the same.  She didn’t want to face the fact that maybe Izaya was never coming back to her the way he once was.

She paused.

But the night on the phone…

His words were sincere.  She knew they were.  Maybe there was more to what he told her than he let on.  Could he really be the usual him for her and someone else entirely for the purpose of his plans?

She wondered if, despite the terrible things he did, he loved her.

Could he?

She was almost to her house when she saw a suspicious-looking van.  It drove along the highway slowly, as if looking for something.  Carolynn let her hair down out of the hair-spray style her sister had recommended that morning and put her headband in to keep her hair out of her face.  She stashed her stuff in an alley and followed the van after checking that both her knife and her gun were on her.

She moved slyly, ducking into shadows every  time  the van appeared to pause.  Finally, it came to a stop and some boys climbed out.  She overheard one of them say, “Think this is the place the info broker told us about?”

“Hope so.  We need some cash.”

Carolynn’s eyes narrowed and she trotted around the front of the building after watching them walk through the front door.  Info broker?  Could they mean…?  She leaned around the entry way and peeked in.  As soon as the little fat guy hit a pole and made a ringing sound, everyone in the home started screaming and running out.  

Then it hit her.  Illegals.  These guys were after illegals.  But why?  What could they gain from this?

And why the hell did Izaya have his hand in it as well?  She stayed where she was until they moved on into the house.  They all wandered around while Carolynn ducked behind a desk and waited.  If they caught someone, she’d follow them to wherever they were being taken.  Maybe this had something to do with the missing students as well?

Or it was a completely different case.

The taller man with glasses came back to the living room first.  “Nothing.”

The fat guy cursed.  “They all got away!”

Carolynn froze when she felt her phone vibrate and then her notification sound went off.  She held her breath when the little fat guy gasped, “Did you hear that?”

“Sounds like there’s one left…”  The guy with glasses chuckled.

Carolynn started to back up, away from the desk but to her surprise, the third guy grabbed it and pulled it right out of the way.  Within moments, the guy with glasses snatched her gun and the other guy, the fat guy, grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back.  “Let me go!”

The guy mumbled.  “This one isn’t an illegal.  But it is a teenage girl.”

“20% bonus!  Yeah!” The guy cheered.

Carolynn struggled.  “Why are you guys doing this?  Who’s paying you!?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”  The fat guy asked before pulling Carol’s cell phone out of her pocket.  He flipped it open.  “Aw, your boyfriend wants to know if you made it home or not.  How sweet.”

The guy with glasses laughed.  “Too bad we won’t get to see the look on his face when he learns that she’s never going home again.”

They all started laughing while starting to drag her  back to their van.  The whole time they dragged her and made jokes about terrible things they could text him back and mess with him, she pondered the irony of the fact that the same guy they were wanting to make fun of and make life a living hell, is the same guy that gave them the information on this place.

She struggled, but she was starting to give up.

Izaya would come find her…right?

When they went to throw her in the back of the van, she tried to make her get away.  She grabbed the back of the seat and went to climb over into the back seat when the guys grabbed her hair and yanked her back.

The pain went through her and knocked the breath out of her.

She threw her arm up, but they smacked it away.

One guy got on top of her and pinned her by the neck.

She grabbed his jacket.

The other guy filled up a bottle – chlorophorm.

She was able to kick the guy, phasing him long enough to slip out from under him.

She spun around and kicked the bottle from the guy’s hand.  It spilled all over him.

Before she could get away, the third guy grabbed a set of handcuffs and cuffed her to the back panal of the van.  She gasped as she tried to jerk her hands free but her body was twisted up weird and she couldn’t put enough strength behind it.  “Sh-shit…”  She huffed.

Everything was starting to get blurry.

She was so tired.

As the guys started getting up, she took one last shot at kicking one.  

She got him, but there was no power behind it.

She felt like she was wandering through a dream.

She was a mess.

But no one would know what happened to her.  Unfortunately, she was going to get the case she wanted.  But there was no way to let anyone know.

Her phone was gone.

She was way out of her route home.

And…

No one had been watching over her.

She was just…

So…

Tired…


	21. Izaya; A Hero

Izaya stared at his phone for the longest time, a frown pasted on his face.  Was she mad at him?  He slipped his phone back into his pocket.  Maybe if he brought her some food from her favorite place  t h en  she’d forgive him.

He grumbled.  Well, it wasn’t like she didn’t have other reasons to be mad.  He texted her again.

_ Hey now, don’t be hateful towards me just cause I had to go.  Don’t leave me hanging.  Did you make it home or not? _

After grabbing some food, he started to think about the point of the question.  He’d assumed she was fine, but the reason he texted her was to be sure.  If that was the case then assuming would be the wrong thing to do because then if something really had happened, she wouldn’t be able to text back.

He was wasting his time wondering.

He pulled out his phone and called.  He stopped when he heard her ringtone.  It was a very unique song that only someone like her could have on their phone.

Following the sound of it, he came across a guy lying in the bushes.  He looked as though he’d been dumped off and left for dead.   But in his pocket, there it was – Carolynn’s phone.  He hung up and pulled it out.

“But why do you have it?”  Izaya asked himself.  Taking another look at the guy, he recognized it as one of the guys he hired to kidnap that one girl.  And then gave the information on illegal house.

He frowned.

But how on earth did he run into Carolynn?

Retracing the paths he could have taken to find the house, he suddenly realized that there was a possibility that they crossed paths.  But why did Carolynn get involved?

He was frustrated and questioning himself wouldn’t get him anywhere.  He started to leave when Carolynn’s phone began to ring again.  He answered, “Hello?”

“Final  -  Izaya ?  What the hell!”  

He recognized Belle’s voice.  “Where is Carolynn!?”  She snapped.

“Ouch, be considerate of my eardrum.”  Izaya grumbled.  “That’s a good question.  I wondering that myself.”

“You’re funny.  You have her cell phone.”

“Yes, and unfortunately she’s not here with it.”

“What?”

“I found her cell phone.  But not her.  She wasn’t taking detour home was she?”

“Not that I know of, but Izaya, I thought – “

“Pardon me, but it seems now I have some business to attend to.”

Izaya hung up and put Carolynn’s phone in his pocket.  He took a deep breath and started down the street.  He couldn’t begin to explain the rage he felt stirring inside of him that moment.

He walked down the street, making his way across town and to the place he was familiar with them using as a check point to trade off their goods.  His skin crawled at the thought of anyone putting a price on her head.

He found their van on his second try, under the overpass.  He jumped up on the rail, startling all of them.  “Yo!”

A big chubby guy shouted, “And just who the hell are you!?”

Izaya frowned.  “Such bad manners.  Who do you think I am?”

“How should we know?”  Both of them were starting to draw weapons.

Izaya waved his hands.  “Easy, easy now.  Who is the only person that would know about your meeting spots?  Perhaps the one who arranged them?”

“You’re the info broker?” The guy with glasses asked.

“Yes.  And I’m looking for someone.”  Izaya informed, dropping off the rail and then leaning against it.  “I met your little sleeping friend on the way here.  Why was he thrown out?”

“We got this bitch that will fetch a fair price.  But she put up one hell of a fight.  Knock ed  the anesthesia right out of his hands and all over himself.  We threw him out so we wouldn’t fall asleep.”  The big fat one informed.

Izaya’s eyes narrowed.  “A bitch, huh?”

“Yeah.”  The guy with glasses concurred.  “She wasn’t one of the illegals from the house.  She followed us.  Guess she’s some kind of cop or something.  Here, check it out.”

He opened the back end of the van up.  And there she was, yanking at the cuffs that held her inside.  She glared at them, but her eyes rested  specifically  on him.

The guy with glasses grinned.  “What do you think?  She’ll fetch a pretty penny, right?”

“Oh, I’m sure.  She looks like the kind of girl that everyone would want.”  Izaya tipped his head a bit, a smirk on his face.  “But you’d have to sell her to the right person to get a fair price for her.”

He saw Carolynn react to his comment and she started struggling more, but she didn’t say anything.  The guy with glasses closed the trunk, putting the wall between the two of them up once again.

“I do recall though, I told you only illegals.  Others would leave too much of a trail.”  Izaya stated.

“We can handle it.”  The guy informed.

“Can you?” Izaya asked.  Finally he  was the one that  couldn’t handle it anymore.   He grabbed the guy’s collar whipped out his knife in the same move.  Instead of slicing him open and letting him bleed like he really wanted to, he jabbed him in the nose with the butt of the knife.  He heard the bone crack underneath before he flipped him, slamming him in the ground and stomping on him.  It made him feel good to wipe his shoes with the world’s scum.

He turned to the fat guy.  “Your turn.”  He started to run, but Izaya grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed him into the back of the van.  He hit it so hard that he bowed backwards and flopped onto the ground.  Izaya put his foot on the guy’s throat and hissed.  “You have five seconds to get your bleeding friend and run as fast as you can.  Your five seconds started five seconds ago.”

The guy screamed and grabbed his friend, running away like a tub of jello with a spoon.  Izaya sighed.  “Well that wasn’t nearly as much fun as I thought it’d be.”  He pulled the key that he’d grabbed from the guy with the glasses’s pocket.  He opened up the back of the van and then unlocked Carolynn’s handcuffs.  “There you go.”

As soon as her hands were free – she hit him.

Izaya stumbled back out of shock.  “What was that for!?”

Her face was a mess of terror and fear.  “I thought you were helping them!  You said all of that so easily…”  Her body started to tremble.  “I didn’t even know if you were going to come for me or not…”

Izaya gripped her shoulders.  “Why would you think I wouldn’t come for you?”

She gritted her teeth.  “Because you didn’t stay to protect me like you said you would – so you didn’t even know it had happened!”

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.  “Stop with this nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense, I was really scared…”  She mumbled into his shirt.

“I know you were…”  He whispered.  He hesitated before adding, “I was too.”

“Why were you scared?”  She demanded sharply.

“You weren’t supposed to be there.”  Izaya stated.

“I’m a cop.  It’s my job to stop that stuff from happening.”

Izaya let her go and sat back, rubbing his face and laughing.  “You think…that just because you’re a cop,  it’s  okay to just throw yourself into a hopeless situation?”

“I didn’t even know what the situation was!”  She argued and then swept her hair out of her face.  She sighed.  “Why do I even bother?  You wouldn’t understand.”

She started to get up, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down beside him.  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.  He whispered against her crimson hair, “Just…stay here for a little longer, okay?”

She was stiff in his arms, like she was scared to move.  She didn’t say anything, but he felt her slowly starting to relax in his hold.  He caressed her hair and kissed it like he’d longed to do.

She whispered, “Izaya…”

“Don’t worry, I learned my lesson.”  He told her softly.  “No more abandoning you.  You get yourself into all kinds of trouble.”

She sat up a bit, leaning across him.  She sighed and rested her head in the crook of his neck, her body sprawled out across his.  “You know, we used to have moments like this on a daily basis.”

Izaya smirked, closing his  eyes.  “Not a day goes by that I don’t remember.”

She started to say something else but let out the cutest little screech when a phone went off in his pocket.  He sighed when he realized it was hers again.  He held it up.  “Your sister is looking for you.”

Carol smirked.  “I should get home.”

“Yeah…”  Izaya whispered, gazing into her eyes.  There was a devious sparkle in those magnificent eyes.  She looked like beauty personified.  She was everything he ever wanted.  And everything he could never have.  He stroked her face one last time and almost leaned in for a kiss, but he held himself back.

He set the phone in her hand and ushered her out of the van.  “I’ll see you around.”

The expression on her face said that she was expecting more and had let her down.

He was getting good at that.

The whole ‘letting her down’ thing.


	22. Carolynn; A Crimson Angel

The next day, she heard from her sister, who’d been spending a lot of time with Shizuo, that Izaya was causing trouble.  She wondered what that man was up to.  She’d always known that Izaya liked to tease Shizuo, but never this much.  She wondered what had gotten under his skin recently.

On top of that, Kida was starting to act strange.  She was beginning to wonder if he was one of the suspects she needed to put on her list.  He’d been continuously bailing on his friends.  Did they suspect anything?  Or was that just normal for him?

She sighed  and  left her apartment.  She just needed to go on a walk, to clear her mind.   She had just been strolling when she heard a voice; a very…familiar voice.

Stopping at the corner, she peeked around and saw him…and her.

Izaya Orihara and some girl way too dressed up for this part of town.

“This is the first time we’ve met, Miss Namie Yagari.  I hope that list of illegal aliens was of some use to you.”  Izaya informed casually.  “It’s an honor to have you here.”

Carol’s eyes widened.

The girl pulled out a picture.  “I need you to find my brother.  It’s urgent.”

“Huh?”  Izaya asked with a grin.

“I’m willing to pay you however much you ask.”  Namie informed.  “I haven’t heard a word from him since last night, but he should still be in Ikebukuro.”

Izaya sighed.  “He really hasn’t been out of contact for all that long.  What has you so worried about him?”

“It’s the girl he’s with.”  She insisted.  “She has a distinctive scar around her neck.”

“A girl?”  Izaya started to chuckle.  “He is a boy with needs.”

“Get started at once!”  Namie shouted angrily.

“Whoa, wait a sec.”  Izaya backed up a step.  “Don’t you think there are far more important things that we should be looking into first?  Rumor has it that a rival business has been making advances towards acquiring your company.  That would make your current – “

“Mr. Izaya Orihara, I don’t have time to chit-chat right now.” 

“Hm, surprising.  A woman like you falling for her brother…who would have thought?”  Izaya mocked calmly.

“You don’t know a single thing about me.” She replied almost as coolly.

“I know the name Namie Yagari and all the things that she’s achieved.  Your uncle took a few big risks and lost the company and now the current president of Yagari  Pharmaceuticals is a very button-down practical man.  But you came into the company and like a smart girl worked your way up the ladder.  You’ve got brains and beauty.”

Carol blushed when she felt her cheeks heat with jealousy.  Of course, he has to take his work very seriously, doesn’t he?  She doesn’t mean anything to him.  Nothing at all.

Namie smiled.  “I guess you do know me fairly well.   You shouldn’t have a problem finding my brother.”

Izaya sighed.  “Right, the brother…maybe this is one affair you shouldn’t meddle in.”

“What I’m doing is not meddling!  The only one capable of protecting him is me!” Namie shouted.

“It’s always so hard to see the obvious when you’re stalking someone.  The stalker thinks they’re protecting their victim.”  Izaya started.

Namie cut him off with a shout, “Don’t you ever compare me to a stalker again!”

Izaya chuckled.  “Scary.  I was only kidding.  Okay…I’ll help.  But in the way I see fit.”  He pulled out his phone.  “We informants work differently than cops.”

Carol froze at his comment and watched him pull out his phone  it was red – not the one he’d been on the other day .  Had he gotten a new one?  That wasn’t the one she was used to seeing him on when he got a business call.   Then she remembered that she had seen this phone before.  She saw it the other day when she was at school.

“Question.”  Izaya stated while he typed away on his phone.  “The girl with the scar on her neck, are you jealous of her?”

“Why do you ask?” Namie questioned.

Izaya just chuckled like he already knew.

Carol’s phone buzzed in her pocket.  She nearly let out a noise, but was able to hold it back.  She pulled it out and looked at her screen.  

_ What are _ _  you doing there, Angel?  Eaves _ _ dropping is bad and could get you in trouble.  I know that you just can’t stay away from me, but please keep your distance while I’m on the job.  We wouldn’t want you getting hurt now. _

Carol angrily texted back:

_ Oh, right.  Important business with your beautiful and intelligent co-worker? _

She saw Izaya smirk when he got the response.  Her phone responded with:

_ Jealous, Angel? _

Carolynn snarled to herself and stormed away.  “Stupid jerk!”  It wasn’t too much later that she heard him running up behind her.  He tackled her from behind and draped his arms over her shoulders.

“So, you’re jealous that I compliment other girls?”  Izaya teased.

Carolynn glared at him.  “That has nothing to do with my comment!  I was just pointing out that it didn’t seem like it was business you were conspiring about.”

“So if you knew I’d said that, then you must’ve heard most of the conversation.”  Izaya informed, stepping back while Carol turned around.

All playfulness left from her.  “All those missing victims…were being taken by Yagari  Pharmaceuticals .   And you’ve been giving them the information they need to find them!  Those girls – and those illegal houses – you’re behind all of it!”

He wasn’t joking anymore either.  “I am.”

“Why, Izaya!?” Carol shouted.  “What purpose do you have for starting all of this mess?  You’re only going to wind up in jail!”

“It’s all a part of the game.  And until I win, I have to play all of my cards.”  Izaya stated, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Carol turned her back to him.  “You know, if I turned you in, it would be the biggest bust in our station’s history.  We’d make recognition.  I’d get a promotion that I could probably just sit on for the rest of my life.”  She turned back to him, her eyes dead.  “I could make my living by sacrificing you right now.”

He betrayed no emotion.  “That you could.”

“But you’re comfortable knowing that there’s no way I could ever stab you in the back.”  Carolynn sighed.  “Again, you just use me because you can read my emotions as easy as a book.  Sometimes I wonder if you have a heart at all.”

She felt him staring at her as she started to walk away.  But to her surprise, she heard him shout, “Believe what you want.  Tell me: do you believe in angels?”

She turned back to him.  “Why?”

They were shouting across the street now.  Izaya leaned on the rail as he called, “What do you think of when you think of one?”

Carol paused.  She didn’t get the question, but she still answered, “I think of something indescribably beautiful.  The epi tome  of perfection.  That glowing graciousness that could be a person’s pathway to heaven.”

Izaya pointed at her.  “Bingo!”

Carol frowned.  “So what?  What does that have anything to do with anything?”

Izaya waved.  “I’ll give you time to put two and two together!  See you tomorrow, Angel!”

Carol walked, her head leaned back on her hands.  She didn’t really get what he was trying to do at all.  Why would the description of an angel have any application to him being heartless?  It was so random.  She was more focused on that woman that he called ‘beautiful’.  Why was she so good that she got a compliment from  –

Then it hit her.

All the times he’d called her by her nickname.  More than that, he usually addressed her as ‘angel’.  Each time he called her that, was that what he was thinking?  Was that what he thought of her?

She dropped her bag.  The whole time, he’d been complimenting her every time he addressed her.  But she’d been too dense to notice.

She grabbed her bag and started to turn around when she saw him just standing there, that same devilish smirk on his face.  “Get it now, Angel?”

“Is that what you really think of me?”  Carol asked.

Izaya shrugged.  “I didn’t say anything.  You just infer that.”

Carol bit the inside of her cheek.   “Then you just came up with that.”

“No, you’ve always been my Angel.”  Izaya insisted.

She turned her head away a bit and added.  “You frustrate me, Izaya Orihara.  Every time I try to be mad at you, you manage to make me not hate you so much.”

“Hey, you’ve gotta love someone to hate them.”  Izaya chuckled.

Carol smiled.  “You’re right.”

They both stopped for a moment and just stared at each other.  A gentle breeze blew between them and some of her hair blew in front of her face.  It was hard to see his expression, doused with crimson, but she could almost see

Longing.

“Stay out of trouble.”  She ordered him.

He raised his hand.  “Never.”


	23. Carolynn; An All-Knowing Girl

She was almost home, but stopped to get an ice cream cone in the park.   When she did, she saw that guy.

The guy that was in the picture that Anri showed them.  The boy that her friend was stalking.  A girl was with him, pulling on his arm.  She started to run after them when she thought about what Izaya had told her.  About getting in harm’s way.  She shook her head.  No, she didn’t care.

She checked her gun and then ran right towards them.  She started to pull out her badge when the girl turned and ran.  When she went by the bench, Carolynn saw the Black Rider and Shizuo sitting there.  The Black Rider jumped up and ran after the girl.

“Wait!”  Carolynn ordered, racing after both of them.

The Black Rider grabbed the girl.

Carolynn pulled the Black Rider back.

The girl screamed. 

From behind, the boy came running back.

Before he got there, Shizuo cut him off.

Carol gasped in surprise when the boy stabbed Shizuo with a pen in both legs. “Shizuo!”

While both she and the Black Rider were distracted by the boy, the girl ran off.  Shizuo waved his hand and told them.  “Go on, I’m fine.  This doesn’t even hurt.  I’ve always wanted to say this: You go on ahead and leave this one to me.”

Carol started to protest when the Black Rider took off.  She chased her down before she got to her bike  and tackled her to the ground.  The Black Rider struggled with her, but Carol had her own share of experience in pinning people down.  Once she got her arms pinned, she shouted, “Calm down!  Why are you chasing that girl?”

The Black Rider stopped struggling suddenly.  Through her helmet, it seemed as though she was staring at her.  She splayed her fingers as if to say ‘I give up’.

Carolynn eased up a bit and allowed her get her phone.

_ Carolynn, right? _

Carol nodded.

_ You’re an undercover cop, right? _

When she got a look at Carol’s expression, she quickly typed again.

_ Izaya told me – but don’t worry!  He made me swear to keep it a secret.  I will.  But listen.  That girl.  She’s  _ _ My _ _  relative that went missing.  She probably doesn’t recognize me  _

Carol grabbed her phone.  “Stop lying and tell me the truth.”

The Black Rider paused and texted:

_ It’s a really long story. _

“I have time.  As an officer, I can’t allow you to lay a hand on that girl until I know everything.”  Carol informed.

The Black Rider shrugged and sat up as Carol got up.

_ Fine.  But let’s help Shizuo first. _

Shizuo had picked Seiji up by his collar.  “Tell me: Is that your girlfriend?”

Seiji struggled.  “She is!  Fate brought us together!”

“So then…why is she acting like that?”  Shizuo demanded.

“Beats me!”  Seiji informed.

Carol could tell that this pissed Shizuo off.  He sunk his foot in and started spinning while shouting, “What the hell kind of answer is that!?”  He let him go and he went flying into the bushes.  Shizuo picked him back up by the collar.  “So you say that you love her, but you don’t know anything about her?  Guess you’re a pretty lame boyfriend then, aren’t you?”

Seiji protested, “All I need to know about her is that I love her.  That’s all.”

“Okay then.  Educate me.”  Shizuo ordered, shaking him.  “How did fate bring you both together?”

“It’s because I love her!  It’s just as simple as that!  Love is a feeling, you can’t explain it!  It has no words!  Now let me go…!”  He grabbed another pen.  “My actions will prove my love!  Just watch!  I’ll prove it!”  

When he went to stab Shizuo, he simply raised his free hand.  The pen sank into it but he didn’t even wince in pain.  Shizuo growled.  “I like you a lot better than Izaya, so I’m only going to send you home with this.”  

Shizuo head-butted him – hard.  Hard enough that he just went limp in his hold.  Then Shizuo tossed him like trash.  He turned away and grumbled.

Carol giggled while the Black Rider typed :

_ He…didn’t really need our help… _

Carol shook her head while she grabbed a Band-Aid out of her mini first-aid kit.  “Here Shizuo.”

“Oh, Carolynn.”  Shizuo chuckled, holding his hand out.  “I didn’t even recognize that was you.  Don’t tell me you have some score to settle with that guy too?”

Carol shook her head.  “No, but that girl is a registered missing person and that boy is a suspect.  I couldn’t just let the Black Rider take off with them.”  She explained while taking the pen out and treating Shizuo’s hand.

She felt a presence.  She glanced over to see Izaya standing on the other side of the street.  He didn’t shy away when she looked at him, didn’t even act like he noticed her starting back.  But his gaze was intense – on Shizuo.  She distracted  herself from him by saying .  “That should be good, but don’t mess with anythin g until it heals over.  You may  not feel pain, but you can still die from blood loss.”

Shizuo sighed.  “Thanks for the tip.  See you around.  Oh, and tell your sister I said and hi and that I’m looking forward to Friday.”

Carol arched a brow.  “Friday, hm?  Big date?”

“Shut up.”  He ordered, walking off.

Carol turned to the Black Rider.  “Now.  For our talk.”

Her shoulders drooped and she sat down on the bench.  She typed:

_ Well, for starters…I guess.  You’ve heard the rumors about me, correct? _

“Like…that you’re headless?”  Carol asked , glancing over to see Izaya walking away on the other side of the street.

The Black Rider nodded and flipped open her helmet.  Carol paused.  “So, it’s true.”

The black rider nodded again and typed:

_ I’m actua _ _ lly a Dulahan named Celty Sturlu _ _ son.  I have a head, but I lost it.  I’ve been looking for it for a long time.  To my shock though, when that girl ran by…that was my head on her body!  Exactly my head… _

Carol frowned.  “What were you going to do if you caught her?”

Celty paused.  

_ I don’t know…but…to just let her go without trying… _

Carol placed a hand on hers on her phone.   “You don’t have to justify the need to do something irrational to me.”  She smiled.  “You’ve been watching me, you should know that.”

Celty stopped entirely.  Carol added, “But you’re saying that you think your head was sewn onto that girl?”

_ It’s crazy, I know, but it was my head.  It was my face, I couldn’t mistake  _

Carol stared at the crowd as they walked instead of reading the rest of Celty’s text.  She thought about Izaya’s conversation with Namie.  No, it wasn’t crazy.

It fit right in.

“I think I can help you.”  Carol informed, jumping up.  “I can help you, and close a case.”  She wrote down her number and handed it to her.  “Stay in contact with me.  I can find out just what happened with your head, okay?”

_ Really? _

“If my hunch is right, yes.  But I have to go right now.”  Carol informed as she was turning and running out of the park.  Her legs were working full-time to catch back up with that familiar fur-lined jacket.


	24. Izaya; A Game-Playing God

Izaya opened the door, surprised by his visitor.  “Carolynn?  How did you – “

“You’re not the only one who knows how to dig up information.”  Carolynn informed, but her voice was guarded.  She was telling a lie.  Clever girl.  She must have followed him home.  She walked in, not waiting for an invitation.  “You’ve upgraded from your high school shack. ”

Izaya paused, reminiscing on the little shack she was talking about.  So many memories were there:  All the long nights after long days that they’d just gaze up at the stars and fall asleep in the crisp night air, all the tears that had fallen on his shoulder in that shack, all the wonderful times they shared secrets with each other.  He remembered holding her for long periods of time, just listening to her sweet voice tell her story after she had run away from home.  He started to follow her through his office, arms reached out to hold her, when she spun around and met him with a furious gaze.  He froze, coming back to reality like a slap in the face.  “What’s wrong?”

Carol leaned on his desk, her eyes drinking in all of her surroundings.  “Ikebukuro is starting to turn into a mess.  You know I’m on three or four  _ different  _ cases right now?”

“Heavy workload.  You should quit.”  Izaya suggested, not playful.

She ignored him.  “Do you know what the common link is between  _ all  _ of them?”

He tipped his head up, questioning.  She answered plainly, “You.”

His smile dropped.  He tried to listen to her, but he was distracted.  Distracted by a couple strands of hair that had fallen from behind her headband.  They stuck to her neck, fell over her shoulder and cascaded down th e curve of her breast.  He star ed at it, wanting so bad to stroke those strands, to run them through his fingers – just to feel any part of her.  She cleared her throat and his eyes jerked back up to hers.  He said, “Is that so?  What proof do you have that I’m involved in these situations?”

“They all got their information from you.”  Carol explained, crossing her arm s .  “And I know you.”  Her eyes found his again.  “What I don’t know is what you’re after.”

Izaya propped his hands on the desk, either hand on either side of her.  He leaned close to say something but was blindsided by the intoxicating smell of vanilla and sugar.  “New shampoo?”

“It’s perfume, actually.”

He arched a brow.  “Perfume?  Looking to impress somebody, Angel?”

He didn’t miss her cheeks turning a soft shade of red.  He continued, “But we’ve already gone through this.  I’m playing a game.  Once the game is over, I plan to have you.”

Carol rolled her eyes, trying to be nonchalant as she examined more of the room.  “Even if that was true, what is the point of the game?  It has nothing to do with me.”

“I like to win.”  He informed, angling his body closer to hers.

“Learn to lose.”  She ordered, pressing her hand to his chest to push him away, but he didn’t move.

He smirked.  “Why learn something I’m never going to do?”

“At the rate you’re going, you will.”  Carol explained, shifting when he pressed even closer.  His arms were trembling with the struggle to keep from wrapping them around her slender little body.  She finished, “If you keep tempting the cops, they’ll bust you and – “

“I still wouldn’t lose.”  He moved his hand to her hair in an attempt to distract himself from his own desires.  As he wound them around his fingers, they dripped between, leaving each finger with a gentle, tingling need.  “I can still play my game from the station.  And being there would only bring me closer to you…”

She pushed him back roughly now – and suddenly.  “W hy do you play with my emotions like this?  Haven’t I said a thousand times that I’m done being your little test bunny?”

“You’re far more than a test.”  Izaya argued.  He tipped his head as he moved back to her so his words were a whisper at her ear.  “You’re not something to be done once, scored, and then thrown away.  No, you’re more like…a treasured artifact in a museum:  No one gets to touch except for the one person who truly values it, admires it and keeps it safe from harm.  The manager  of sorts .”

She walked away from him, ending up at the other table where his game board was laying.  She changed subjects abruptly.  “Explain this to me, Izaya.”

“It’s the game I’m playing.”

Her eyes were a little shocked like she was expecting something else.  She turned back to it, examining each piece.  She asked, “Why is only one piece red?”

“Because it is the only one of any value.”  He answered, resting his hand on the small of her back.  Her shirt was soft.  And her body was so warm.  So…irresistibly warm…  “I don’t mind where all the others are.  I’ll throw them into the fire, but not this one.  This little piece stays far from harm’s way.”

Carol paused, but then recognition flooded her expression.  She lifted a few strands of her hair, drinking them in, and then the single red piece.  She traced her fingers along the board.  “So…the king is you.  And this broken and dismantled piece is…Shizuo Heiwajima…”  Her eyes wandered back to the red piece and the odd black piece next to it.  “Then this…is the Black Rider – Celty – that you hired to stalk me?”  She gazed at him now.

His brows furrowed.  “She told you?”

“No, but it’s hard to hid e  the most famous urban legend in town.  It’s easy to put two and two together, Izaya.”

“Impressive.”  Izaya purred, genuinely awed by her increase of skills.  His hands slid to her shoulders.  “So then you know the red piece is – “

“Me.  Yes.”  She answered shortly.  “But I disagree with your game plan.”  She picked up her identified pieces and arranged them.  He leaned past her to watch.  She moved them so that the king was away from the other pieces with the red queen.  The odd shaped one was pushed closer to the chaos but the dismantled one was right in front of the king and queen.

Izaya frowned.  “Why do you insist on keeping the useless silver one so close?”  His body pressed against hers as he leaned past her to move the pieces around.  He had to keep his breath and heart in check.  He longed to be this close to her again for so long…  “Wherever the king goes, these few pieces follow.  They bring these and thus the danger comes a s well.  The delicate red piece  would get caught up in this mess.  So then the king has to stay over in this space to keep his queen from being dragged in.”  He paused.  Her skin smelled so wonderful.  It was driving him crazy.  She was so absolutely still and so close to being wrapped up in his arms.  If he could just find the will to bring them in against her…

“So you try so hard…”  She started, her breathing a little ragged – like his.  “…to make me quit…why?  Where are you trying to move me on this board?”

He reached, drawing a line to the other end of the board with his finger.  It caused a larger percent of their bodies to touch and he had to swallow hard and reign in his thoughts.  “Over here.  If she stays where she’s at, then the swarm of these other pieces will run her over.”

“Then why start this?”  Carol asked hesitantly.  “If you know I love my job, then why purposely run me out?”

“Cause your…colleagues…keep you from me…”  He whispered.

She pulled away, her expression flustered.  “I’m getting mixed signals here…”  She ran a hand through her hair, messing it up.  He looked away, his mind suddenly going straight to all the ways  _ he _  could mess up her hair.  They must have both been getting mixed signals because the only signals he was getting  were  to take her in his arms and never let her go.  She continued, “You blame them for keeping us apart…”  He started at her as she finished, “…but it’s you.”

He went silent.

She went on.  “You turned your back on me.  I wanted  to follow you and stay with you!   But you  stopped sharing things with me!  You stopped talking to me!   You kept me blissfully ignorant while you continu ed to do worse and worse things!   You shoved me out of your life!”   She hit the board with her fist, causing the board to bounce and the re d  piece flew into the bookshelf.  It cracked down the middle.

The king rolled off the board and table, across the floor and to Izaya’s feet.  He stared at it.  A foreign emotion overwhelmed him as he stared at the king.  That stupid king.  He picked it up with a trembling hand and whispered slowly, “The king is…in a very dangerous situation.  If even one small part…were to be upset, it could turn to war .  If the queen was there…and was  close to the king…then he could lose her…”

Carolynn stared at him as he walked slowly across the room and picked up the queen.  He could barely get the last statement out.  Just the thought of anything… _ anything _  happening to her always made him feel this way.  So overcome, so helpless…so…worthless.  He swallowed his breath and whispered hoarsely, unable to face her, “That ’s …his only fear…”

“Izaya…”  She breathed.

“As long as you’re with that law enforcement agency…”  He continued, “ You’re in danger, so stay away.  But if you quit, then you can come back and  _ I  _ can protect you.”

As he started to put the pieces back on the board, she leaned past him and rearranged them as he set them down.  “I’ll compromise.”  She whispered.  She set the board up almost exactly as he had it, coming in, except with the red, cracked, queen right next to the king.  Both were surrounded by the dangerous little black pawns.  “Don’t tell me what horrendous things you’re going to do.  Let me stay ignorant of that…but don’t push me away.  Keep me close.  I’ll keep the authority away as long as I can.”

He rested his hand on hers on the top of the red piece.  He turned his head so that his lips were at the curve of her ear.  “Car-car…don’t get involved.  Keep living your happy, beautiful life…”

Her hand clenched under his.  “Izaya…”  She fell limp against his body.  “You are my life.”

He sucked in a sharp breath and buried his face in her hair.  That warm vanilla filled his nostrils and breathed in everything that she was.  He finally found the strength to fold his arms around her.  He squeezed softly at first and then slowly tighter as he lost control.  Nostalgia hit him like tidal wave.  He remembered sharing these moments with her in high school.  To his surprise, she didn’t pull away.  She didn’t move or even breathe.  The only way he knew she was still alive was the steady, rising, heartbeat against his hand.  He kissed her hair gently and she took in a sharp breath.  She moved back from the table and his hand slid down to find hers.  He guided her hands to his face and breathed her in again.

She wasn’t showing any sign of emot ion.  No reaction at all.  He h ated not being able to read her and know what she did or didn’t want.  He kissed the palm of her hand.  Nothing.  He  pulled her arm out and kissed her forearm.  She turned her head to him, but still nothing.  He kissed her upper arm.  Nothing at all.  His lips gently brushed her shoulder and she stiffened.  He paused.  His breath trickled down her skin.

Sh e pressed her face to the top of his head and whispered his name.  It sent a tremor of desire through his body and he had never wanted to keep her in his arms more than he did that very moment.  His blood was racing as he pulled back just an inch and regretted it instantly.

She turned to him but took a step back.  Despite the longing in her eyes, she whispered, “I need to leave.”

He felt like he’d just been punched.  He turned away.  “Of course.  Go on back to your average life of making the authority feel good about themselves.”

“And you go back to playing with people like they’re a game to you and you’re some kind of god.”

“The only one I care about treating me like a god, is you.”

Carol looked at him and her crimson eyes flared in that sensual way.  “You’ll never be my god, I’ll never worship you.”

Izaya frowned but caught her last comment before she left.  “Besides, it’s immoral to be in love with a god.”

Izaya smirked and flipped the red piece in his hand.  “Is that so…”  He dropped down in his chair and set the red piece in front of his computer.  There was a big grin on his lips as the sun set, casting an orange glow over his whole office.


	25. Carolynn; A Stalker

Carolynn was going to go straight home.

She had no plans to take any detours.  

But her plans changed when she saw the girl.

She was walking out of the subway with…

Mikado Ryugamine.

Carolynn cursed and ducked out of sight.  She watched them walk by.  Mikado was telling her stuff, calming her.  At one point, she saw Mikado notice her.

He walked faster.

Carolynn started to question why he’d rush away from her when she really thought about it.  Mikado probably didn’t recognize her out of her uniform and with her hair tied back like she had it on the job.

As she followed, Mikado kept glancing back at her over and over.

He grabbed the girl and started running.

Carolynn gasped and took to the shadows, running after them.  She was aware that everything looked familiar to her.  This was the same path to her house.  After a while, she noticed Mikado slow down.  He must have thought he lost track of her.  He walked past her house, down the street and just around the corner. 

That’s why Kida knew the place so well.  Mikado did, in fact, live in this run down area as well.   She thought about going to his house and questioning, but if she knocked on his door, then she’d take off as soon as she heard it.

She kept an eye on his house from her window to make sure she didn’t leave.  Kida, in the evening, went over to his house and then left a bit later.  Mikado must have asked him for advice.

Late that night, when she was sure the girl was staying in Mikado’s house, she pulled on a black hoodie, black sweats, and black shoes.  She owed Celty a lot for saving her life and looking after her as often as she did.  Looking back out her window, she could see her still parked outside, waiting for the last light to go out so she was sure everything was okay.

She took her job seriously.  She sure was a loyal person…er…fairy?

She pulled her hair back, put on a black band so it would stay back and then pulled her hood up.  She checked in the mirror to make sure her face was completely covered.  If there were cameras, she wanted to make sure she wasn’t identified.

That’s right.  She was going to break into Izaya’s office and find out who was in charge of that girl’s procedure.  Either on his phone or his computer – somewhere it must be logged where that girl came from and who she was sent to.

If her hunch was right – she was guessing someone from Yagari Pharmecueticals.  But then why would she be hanging with Seiji Yagari?  Did she feel compelled to date him after someone from that company redid her face?

Why would she want Celty’s head?

Or was she trapped in some blackmail situation?

She was going to find out.

And she would arrest someone this time.

She shut her door behind her.

Celty rushed up to her.

_ What are you doing? _

Carol smirked.  “I’m repaying my debt to you.  I’m going to dig up information on that girl who has your head.”

_ You don’t have to.  I wasn’t asking for you to go out of your way for me.  Please don’t be reckless.  If Izaya finds out you got hurt because of me then  _

Carol’s eyes narrowed.  “What?  Izaya’s reaction to anything I do is the last of my worries.”

_ Not mine. _

“What do you mean?”

_ He’s crazy about you, Carolynn.  When I told  _ _ him  _ _ you got hurt last time…I thought he was going to kill me just for  _ **_ talking _ ** _  about you being hurt.  I never would have thought that guy had a soft side… _

Carolynn couldn’t help smiling to herself.  “Thanks, Celty, but don’t worry.  I think I know what I’m doing.”

_ Do you want me to follow and be sure? _

Carol shook her head.  “Go home and rest.  Trust me when I say that I’ll be fine.”

Celty nodded and climbed on her bike.  Looking over her shoulder one last time, she kicked off and flew down the road.  Only a  horses  neigh was in her wake.


	26. Carolynn; Breaking and Entering

Carol stared up at the tall building.  She took a deep breath.

She couldn’t believe she was actually going to do this.

There were no guards at the front, but she expected that.  The hallways were dark and she wondered if she would even show up on the cameras at all.

She ducked into a branch hallway when she saw the flash lights from a few security guards.  The talked as they passed, which made it easier for her to go unnoticed.    They went around the bend towards the front door where she’d just come from.  She went all the way to the end and took the stairs up to the seventh floor.

She cautiously opened the door.  There weren’t even any guards on this floor.  Guess no one expected there to ever actually be an intruder.  That or Izaya was just full of himself.  The latter was probably more likely.  She made her way back to the door she’d gone through just a few hours earlier.  She had a pick ready for the door, but to her surprise it was unlocked.

Now came the hardest part.  She had no idea if Izaya would still be here or not.  She quietly closed the door and started through the living section of the office.  She jumped a bit when she saw Izaya sleeping on the couch.

She stared at him for a long moment.  She’d never seen him without his twisted, sardonic expression.  He looked…gentle.

His phone was resting on his chest.  It was the same crimson color as the one she’d seen him use the other day.  If he really did get a new phone, then that just sucked.  All of his older histories would have been on the other. 

She made her way on to his computer.   Laying right in front of it was the red queen piece and a black cell phone.  This was the cell phone she thought he used.  Then what was with the red one?

She flipped open his black phone and  saw a lot of crazy contacts.  A wakuzu, Yagari Pharmacueticals.  A bunch.

Her number wasn’t here.

She was suddenly struck by curiosity.

She, as quietly as possible, walked over and looked at the red phone.  Gently, she picked it up off his chest, resisting the urge to stroke him and flipped it open.

The background on this phone was her senior picture.  Her heart went wild in her chest.  This phone had only on e  contact. 

Her.

For a moment she couldn’t breathe.  He really was just trying to keep her out of his business life and away from the danger he brought upon himself.

She gently set the phone back down and went to his computer.  She booted it up and prayed it didn’t make an obnoxious wake up noise.  She went through his phone while she kicked back in his chair.

She read through text messages, hoping to find something about a head.  She struck gold.  About a month ago – just the right time, Namie mentioned something about a surgery on a girl’s head after an accident.

Nothing specific.

Did they really sew it on?  But how could that be possible.

She questioned that it couldn’t be, but then again, a Dulahan shouldn’t be possible either.  She rubbed her head through her hood and groaned inwardly to herself.

Finally the computer was awake and ready to go.

She went to click on a file when she halted.

The background picture.

It was her favorite picture ever.   Their last year of middle school.  Graduation was the next day.  And Izaya had asked her to stay in his cozy little shack for the night.  They stayed up watching movies and eating popcorn and telling stories.  She was starving when this picture was taken and he had insisted the pictures couldn’t wait until after dinner.

She nearly started crying.  She barely touched the screen and asked herself:

Did their past really still mean this much to him?

She froze when she felt a cold metal at her throat.

“Want to tell me what you think you’re doing?”

The voice sounded foreign, but she recognized it.  He’d never spoken this way to her before.  Never once in all their years together had he ever addressed her with such cold-blooded malice.  But…that’s because he didn’t know it was her.

He couldn’t find out.  It was something she just couldn’t let herself let him know.  She couldn’t let him know that she needed him.  

He tipped his blade closer to her neck.  “I don’t actually very often let people I don’t know make appointments with me.  And I don’t like being woken up.  You have two strikes, ready to make it three?  You know what comes after that right?”

Now she understood.  This side of Izaya.  The side that everyone else saw.  The side that he never let her see.  He was someone completely different from the Izaya she truly loved.  But…it was a part of him.  And she’d always known it was there, but she’d never been confronted with it.

She swallowed her breath.  The moment she spoke, he would know it was her.  But if she didn’t do something, he’d kill her.

Was her pride really worth dying for?

There had to be a way out of this.

“Why were you going through my phone?”  Izaya demanded coldly, picking it up.  “What is so important that you had to find out that you couldn’t just attempt to schedule an appointment first?”  Izaya sighed like he was being burdened.  “I probably would’ve ignored you anyway, but is this information really worth pissing me off?”

Izaya backed off a step and leaned on his desk, fiddling with his knife.  “You know, in this world, the human instinct is to survive.  Right now, you’re probably hastily searching for options to get out of here.  Your best bet would be to attack me while I’m distracted.  Your next best bet would be to just make a run for it.  But most likely, I’m the faster of the two of us so don’t count on that either.”

Carol’s hand clenched into fists.  There was no way out of this was there?

“By now, you’re probably giving up and now trying to think of some way to beg for mercy.  I’ll tell you now, I’m not forgiving.”  He growled.

Carol started to stand up when he said something else, “But, because you’ve done well not to start crying by now, I’ll kindly let you know why I don’t  let anyone live who tries to pee k at my technology.”

Carol blinked in the shadow of her hood as he finished, “You see, believe it or not, I do have a personal life.  You may have come here searching for something basic and simple like an address or a telephone number, but the moment you turned on my computer, you saw something I don’t like anyone knowing about.   You see, if anyone found out that that girl right there had any involvement with me, they might hurt her.  If that ever happened…I would be…very…unhappy.”  

He tipped the knife under her chin and lifted her head.  “Understand?”

Carol said nothing.  Celty was right.  He was so protective of her…and she never even knew…

He sighed and made a face.  “Come on now, aren’t you going to say anything before I kill you?”

She waited.  He grabbed the back of her hood and yanked it down.  He looked angry for a moment, but then his eyes widened in horror.  Carol shook her hair free of the hood as he dropped the knife.  She whispered, “No wonder people call you a devil.  You’re frightening.”

“Carol…”  He looked as pale as a sheet.  “Why…what were you…”

Carol leaned back in his chair.  “You’d told me not to get involved so I knew you weren’t going to give me what I wanted.  I didn’t think it would be too hard to get in and out.  I didn’t remember you being such a light sleeper, Izaya.”

He was still frozen in horror.

She got up.  “I’m glad though.  I think…I understand now…”

“Huh?”  He barely got out.

She stroked the computer screen.  “This is my favorite picture, too.”

“Carolynn…what were you looking for?”  He asked, moving closer to her.

“I was doing a favor for a friend.”  She stated.  She looked away.  “Sorry I woke you up.”

When she started to go by, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.  “Don’t do that…”

“Don’t do what?”  She asked, confused.

“Don’t walk away and act like nothing just happened.”  Izaya demanded.  “What’s on your mind?  Tell me what you’re thinking right now.”

Her expression softened.  “I’m thinking…you look especially vulnerable right now.  Totally different from that person just a few minutes ago.  Do I really have that big of an impact on you?”

Izaya reached out and ran a hand through her hair, knotting it in his fingers when he said,  “ Carolynn…you’re the only thing…in this world that I care about.   The only thing.  And I just put a knife to your neck.”

She giggled.  “You should have pulled my hood down first.”

Izaya stared.  “It really doesn’t bother you?”

She touched his hand.  “I knew the moment you saw it was me that you wouldn’t hurt me.  I know that I’m safe…with you.  No matter what…”

Izaya’s hand slid down, brushing over where the knife had been a moment ago.  He stroked his thumb across her neck.   When  his other hand cupped her face  and he moved in, she closed her eyes and waited.

But all she felt was his soft breath.  It trickled down her neck and flowed over her collarbone.  She wanted to moan, she wanted to feel his lips, just once if never again.  But he pulled back.  “Stay out of this, Carolynn.  That’s why I want you to quit being a cop.”

She’d never heard him actually serious.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

She caressed his face softly and turned away.  

“We’ll just see what happens in time.”  She informed, heading for his door.


	27. Carolynn; Knowing the Dollars

She got a text message first thing the next morning.

_ If you sleep in anymore, then you’re going to go to school looking like a rat. _

She grumbled and buried her face in the pillow while texting back.  

_ Shut the fuck up, Izaya. _

She got a phone call next. She meant to hit decline, but accepted instead.

“Good morning, Car-car!  The sun is up and waiting to greet you!”

She groaned.  “Izaya…! You said yourself that I don’t have to actually focus on school work.  I can sleep in.”

“Be that good little school girl that you’re so good at pretending to be.  I like you like that.”

She smirked a bit and sat up in bed.  “So what, are you standing outside my door, waiting for me to leave?”

“Not…quite…”

She pulled the curtains from her window and looked out.  He was standing on her porch and wiggled his fingers.  “No bra!  Looks good.”  He winked.

Carol gasped and closed her curtains quickly.  “PERVERT!”  She hung up.

After she pulled on her school uniform and shoes, she started for the kitchen, only to see Izaya already chillin, eating some toast.  She sighed.  She wouldn’t yell at him because, honestly, she wanted him there.  She sat down beside him.  “I would prefer you asking permission first.”

“Can I stay in your place?”

She started to say yes until she realized what question he actually asked.  “No.”

Izaya took a bite of toast.  “You paused.  You thought about it.”

“I thought you were going to ask something else.”

“Excuses…”  Izaya fanned his hand.  He sighed and got up.  “Well, have fun at school!”

On her way to school, she suddenly wondered how sad it was that she hoped he’d continue texting her.  Her conversations with him were starting to become essential for her.  Almost to the school door, her phone buzzed.

_ I’m still here, Angel.  Have a good day. _

She looked back over her shoulder but saw nothing.  She questioned if he had developed the power to read her mind.

During class that day, she was shocked to overhear a conversation between Masoami and Mikado behind her.  “Yo!  Mikado!  How’s that sleeping beauty you got stashed at your place?”

Her eyes widened as she read her book.  Nonchalantly, she listened in as several other guys all gathered around to listen as well.  “Check it out: he was just rounding a corner and bumps into a cutie with amnesia  who’s  being chased by bad guys and who’s she living with now?  This guy.” 

Not believing a word he said, the boys all grumbled about him being a liar and took off.  Carol smiled to herself.  That was funny.

She got a text.

_ You sure look lonely there, all by yourself. _

Carol smirked and texted back.

_ They were talking about something pertaining to the missing students.  I was trying to get information by pretending not to be listening in. _

The text back:

_ Oh no!  Working on the job!? D:  What is this world coming to!? _

She laughed.  She got another text.

_ I love your smile. _

She jumped a bit and looked out the window.  Sure enough, his back was to her now, but he was outside, by the tree, pretending to be just a person eating lunch.  But he still stood out with that fur-lined hoodie.

“See?” Kida got Carol’s attention again by talking.  He took Mikado’s sandwich and devoured it in one bite.  “Nothing to worry about because no one believes it.”  He chowed down and then asked, “So, how’s the hottie?”

“I don’t know.  She was still asleep when I left.”  Mikado confessed, a look of sadness from his vanished sandwich.

“Sleepin’ beauty’s pretty sleepy.”  Kida joked.  “Alright, let’s get to the point.”

“What point?”

“The point as to why I’m mackin down in fourth period.  It’s so that I can free myself up on the lunch break.”  He waved a piece of paper in Mikado’s face.

Mikado looked at it curiously.  “The Dollars pole?”

Carolynn paused.  Again with the Dollars.  They were pretty famous with young students.  She texted Izaya.

_ Know anything about the Dollars?  Besides the bullshit ‘Kanra’ fed me? _

She glanced out the window at him and he seemed to look at her seriously for a long moment before responding.

_ Stay away from them.  I mean it. _

“Dude.  This is like the hot topic right now in our class.”  Kida explained.  “These Dollars are totally shrouded in mystery. So if you saw someone and thought ‘that dude so looks like he’s in the Dollars’, then find his name on the list and vote for him.”

“Wow.  Some people are getting a lot of votes.”  Mikado informed.

Carol’s eyes widened.  That list could be potential for a list of suspects.  If kids have any reason to suspect a person of being in that gang, then they must have some evidence to support it, right?  Like drugs or alcohol?

“You can vote for as many people as you want.”  Kida explained.

Mikado gaped.  “Hey that Takiguchi guy has only received one vote so far.”

“Thank you for noticing.”  Kida informed.  “That’s right.  One vote – from none other than yours truly!  See,  me  and that guy have gym class together and I was like ‘yeah that dudes gotta be in the Dollars’.”

“What makes you think that?”  Mikado asked.

“Hunch.”  Kida informed plainly.  “And now I’m off to find out for sure!”

Carol jumped up when they started talking about how they were going to ask the guy if he’d joined the Dollars or not.  She raised her hand.  “Hey Mikado, Kida.  What are you guys up to?”

Mikado bowed a bit after giving her an awkward look.  “We were going to go ask this guy if he’s in the Dollars.”

“Wanna tag along?”  Kida asked.

Carol grinned.  “Yeah!”

They found him on the roof, writing a song.

“What’s goin on?”  Takiguchi asked.

Kida grinned.  “I got a question.”

“Go for it.”

“Ah ..hem .  Are you a member of the Dollars or not?”

“Ah!  Masoami!”  Mikado gasped.  “What are you – “

“Yeah I’m in with them.”  Takiguchi answered.

“Thought so.”  Kida informed.   “In fact, I had no doubt at all.  See?”  He turned to Mikado.  “My instincts: Perfect.”

Carol swallowed her breath.  “So, what made you join the Dollars?”

Takiguchi sighed.  “I’m not really sure why, exactly, I decided to do it.  I think it was six months ago, I got an email from some guy I didn’t even know.  He mentioned the Dollars and said they didn’t have any kind of rules or conditions.  My first thought was: yeah right.  But then I thought, if there was a group like that, I’d wanna be a part of it.  Truth is, the last thing I want is to be bossed around and vice-versa.”

Kida pressed.  “So what are the Dollars like?  Fill us in!”

“Well, I guess I’d say…transparent as in no color.  They’re not like the other guys.  The Yellow Scarves and Blue Squares were all about showin your colors and getting into turf wars.  But the Dollars aren’t into that.”

“Who are the Blue Squares?”  Mikado asked.

“They were a color gang that was a big deal when I was in middle school.  I don’t know the details but they got into some trouble and then fell apart.”  Takiguchi answered.

Mikado jumped.  “So then!  You’re telling us that you like the Dollars?”

“Do you ever get together with the other members?”  Mikado asked.

“Well…”  Takiguchi continued, “Members only know each other by their username.  But yeah, I’ve met a bunch just by accident.  If you ask most guys, they’ll probably straight up admit they’re part of the Dollars.”

Carol smiled.  That sounded pretty cool…


	28. Carolynn; A Confessing Girl

On the way back from the lunch break, Carol tapped Mikado’s shoulder.  “I need to have a word with you.”

He seemed a bit uneasy.  “Uh, okay.  Right now?  We’ll be late to class – “

“Don’t worry.  I can get you a pass.  This can’t wait.  You’ll understand in a few minutes.”  Carol explained, trying not to sound creepy.  She led him out to the pavilion – away from teacher’s eyes.

Suddenly, Mikado got serious.  “You were following me yesterday.”

“Alright.”  Carol leaned on the fence.  She realized her posture was starting to more and more resemble Izaya’s.  She was spending too much time with him.  “You ask your questions first, then I’ll ask mine.”

“Why were you following us?”  Mikado asked.

“Because that girl has something that belongs to a friend of mine.”  Carol answered simply.

“What?  Did she steal it?”  Mikado asked.

“I don’t know.”  Carol asked, digging her badge out of her back pocket.  “My job is just to get the information.  Right now, I’m doing a favor for a friend in getting that object back.  But that girl…is on a top list of suspects for a current case.”

“Case?”  Mikado repeated.

Carol flipped open her badge case.  “Yes.  I’m Undercover Detective: Carolynn Sarah Selph.”

Mikado gaped.  “Oh my god.  I had no idea.”

“That’s the point.”  Carol informed.  “Right now, I’m telling you this because I need your help.”

“With what?”  Mikado asked.

“I need to ask that girl in your house a few questions.”  Carol informed.  “I’m not going to arrest her or anything, but I need to get to her before someone else does.”

“The Black Rider was after her…” Mikado stated.  

“I know.”  Carol informed.  “We must have just missed each other the other day.  I’m the one who pulled the Black Rider off of her.”  She stood up.  “Mikado, will you take me to talk to her?  If not, then unfortunately, since I was a primary witness to you escorting her to your house, I can search your home without a warrant.  I’d rather have your permission though.”

“I’ll let you talk to her.”  Mikado stated.  “But…would you…let me explain to her first?  That you’re only trying to help her?”

Carol nodded.  “Of course.”  She gave Mikado a warm smile.  “Thank you.  And please, keep what you’ve learned about me a secret.  Otherwise, my case is a failure.”

“I will!  I promise!”  Mikado exclaimed.

Carol grinned.  “You’re a kind boy…”

As they head out of school – it was just Mikado, her, and Anri because Kida had something to attend to, Carol noticed a girl waiting with a guy on bike.

It was the same girl of whose cellphone Izaya smashed.  She grinned just remembering.

She jumped up when she saw them.  “Look!  It’s that same group!”

Mikado blinked.  “How do I know you?”

The chick pulled out her cellphone.  “I’m the one whose cellphone was smashed by your freaky friend!”

Carol giggled.  Freaky friend?

“So I had to go and buy a new one!”  She whined.

“Sorry…but I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”  Mikado informed.  A moment later, recognition flooded Mikado’s face.

Carol stepped past him.  “Excuse me.  But matters pertaining to that guy will be dealt with by me.”

“This true?”  Her new boyfriend asked.  “You’re friends with that punk ass bitch who went and messed up my girl’s cell phone?”

Mikado stared in awe at the guy.  “Well I don’t think he and I are really – “

Carol pushed Mikado back.  “Chill, I’ve got this.”  She turned to the  guy .  It was strange for one of them to be hangin out here.  “I am.  What are you going to do about it?”

“Some little girl’s gonna  get  saucy with me?”  The guy asked, getting in her face.  “I think you need a lesson in where you belong on the food chain!”

Carol flicked her hand.  “And you need a lesson in the proper use of tic tacs.”

“Why you - !”  He started to shout.

Celty tapped him on his shoulder.  He turned just as she spun, kicking him right in the face.

As soon as he landed flat on his face, Izaya jumped down from the wall and started bouncing on top of him, laughing like a joyous child with candy.

Carol pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head.  “I’m so ashamed of you, Izaya…”  When he continued to do it, she shouted, “Knock it off!”

He glared playfully at her, but stopped.  He walked up to the chick, hands in his pockets.  “Are you exploiting my rule against hitting women?  What a clever girl you are.  I would ask you out, but I’m already taken – “

“Oh really.” Carol growled.

“ –  And you’re so not my type.  Now scram!”  Izaya ordered.

The girl started to cry and ran away while screaming, “You’re an asshole!”

“Wow, she is smart.”  Carol commented.

Izaya waved while calling, “Have a nice day!”

Carol smacked the back of his head.  “Now you’re just being a jerk.”

Izaya rubbed the back of his head and turned to Mikado.  “So…Mikado Ryugamine…I was laying low outside the school’s front gate, hoping I’d run into you.”

Carol said nothing, but something clicked just then.  He knew about the girl.  Did he know about the information she’d gotten?  But then, did Celty know too?  She looked over at her while Izaya added, “By the way, what’s the Black Rider doing here?”

Mikado jumped.  “It’s looking for that girl…”

Carol touched his shoulder.  “Relax, this is under control.”  She looked at Celty who in turn looked away.  She took it as acknowledgement to follow her lead.

But Mikado was still so scared he was shaking.  “Oh gosh!  I-i-i-I forgot, but I really…gotta go right now.  Bye!  See you tomorrow Anri.”  He waved at her and walked off towards his house.

Carolynn sighed.  This was so difficult.  She followed Mikado.

So did Izaya and Celty.

Carol was getting frustrated by the time they were halfway there while Izaya made stupid motorcycle sounds.  She called back to him.  “You sound like a four year old.”

“And you have a heart made of ice.”  He shouted back.  “It’s a match made in heaven.”

Mikado looked at Carol.  “How close…are you guys?”

Izaya skipped over and wrapped his arm around Carol’s neck.  “We couldn’t be any closer, actually.”

“Izaya, get off of me.”  Carol growled.

“Why are you so hateful all of the time?  When it’s just the two of us, you’re so sweet and kind and – “

Carol punched him in the stomach and he dropped to his knees.  “You’re making it sound like we have intimate moments.  We do not!”

Izaya stuttered while holding his stomach.  “You know where liars go, Car-car.”

Mikado raised his hands.  “Alright.  Fine, let’s just talk about this out here before we get to my place.  I think…you’re all here for the same thing, aren’t you?”

Celty trotted up to Carol and typed:

_ Did you find anything out? _

When Izaya tried to lean over and see what Celty had texted, Carol put her hand in his face and pushed him back.  “Nothing…specific.  But it turns out that girl did have a surgery done here a while back.”

Izaya gasped, the playfulness gone from his attitude.  “Is that what you were digging up last night?”  He started to say something else when his phone went off.  He let her go.  “You guys go ahead and talk while I take this call.”


	29. Carolynn; An Impatient Girl

While Mikado and Celty talked,  Carol honed in on the conversation Izaya was having on his phone.

She heard ‘cleaning crew’ and that’s about it.  He made another phone call.

After agreeing to let her see the girl, Mikado turned to her.  “Is it okay…for her to see her as well?”

Carol smirked and shrugged her shoulders.  “That’s why I was actually wanting to see her.  I didn’t think Celty would try and confront her on her own.  As long as we keep him away from her, we’re fine.”  She motioned to Izaya.

Celty typed.

_ What’s that supposed to mean? _

Carol’s eyes narrowed a bit.  “That’s a long story.  I’ll explain another time.”

They headed to Mikado’s.

He turned to them.  “Just gimme a minute, okay?  I wanna go on in and explain things.  I’m afraid she might think I betrayed her if she sees you guys before I tell her what’s really going on.”

Celty typed:

_ I understand. _

Mikado headed on up.  Izaya commented, “He sure is a cautious boy, isn’t he.”

“Glad there’s a few of them around.”  Carol retorted.

Both of them made faces at each other.

Celty asked.

_ What’s going on between you two? _

Izaya shrugged.  “Since you know about this girl, Car-car, am I safe to assume that’s why you were digging through my phone and computer?”

Celty jumped.

_ That’s what you were doing last night!? _

Carol coolly snapped back.  “Since you were talking to that Pharmacuetical girl about her, am I safe to assume you’re in on her capture?”

“You’re feisty today.”  Izaya chuckled.  “I like it.”

Celty shivered and typed.

_ Ew _ _.  Enough.  You two were clearly meant for each other. _

Carol smirked.  “Funny how that works out – he’s the criminal and I’m the cop.”

“Doesn’t make much sense, does it?”  Izaya asked.  “But everyone but you knows that you’re just better on the dark side than the light.”

“I’m not afraid to knock the shit out of you.”  Carol informed.

“Not like you didn’t do that all the time in high school or anything.”  Izaya groaned.

“Man I just love beating people up that can’t fight back.”  Carol laughed.

Izaya started throwing rocks at Celty’s bike.  “You know, that was the first time that I heard your real name.  I had no idea you were a foreigner.”

Celty sighed.

_ Liar.  Throw another rock at my horse and I’ll make you swallow it. _

“Wow…it’s a horse.”  Izaya chuckled.  “Who knew?”  Izaya got back up off the stairs and leaned on Carol.  “What do you think?  This is taking longer than it should, right?”

Carol looked at the van on the street.  She just realized that it said cleaning service.  She pushed away from Izaya and glared at him.  “You didn’t – “

“What?”  Izaya asked with a frown.

She ran up the stairs and into his house.  “Mikado!”  She could see two people jump out the window just as she came in.  Carol snarled, watching them race back into the cleaning service van and take off.  “Bastards.”

She helped Mikado up and looked at Celty and Izaya.  “They beat us here, but the girl was already gone.”  Her eyes narrowed specifically on Izaya.  “Wonder how she knew they were on their way and get out before they caught her?”

Izaya shrugged.  “Great luck though, isn’t it?”  He glanced out the window again.  “That van belongs to a Pharmaceutical company that’s about to be bought out by a foreign investor.”

Carol stayed silent as all the pieces clicked into place.  She wondered how much Mikado knew because she could see his wheels turning as well.   Like a switch was flipped on, he spun around to his computer and turned his computer on and attacked it.

She watched him log onto – The Dollar’s Website?

Izaya chuckled behind her.  “Honestly…I only half believed this was true…”  He started laughing.  “Jack pot.”

Carol glared at Izaya over her shoulder.  It really was just some kind of game to him.  She looked at Mikado.  She wasn’t dumb.  “So…you’re the leader of the Dollars?”

Mikado looked down.  “I have to ask you to please not turn me in.  And…I need a couple favors…”

Carol sighed, sitting outside her apartment.  How did she get herself into this?

Not only had she found the source of the human trafficking, not only had she found the missing girl, but she’d also found the leader of the Dollars and the reason behind all of it.  She had enough evidence on her plate that she could close all three cases and feel comfortable about it.

She leaned back against her front door.  But she couldn’t turn any of them in.  She’d agree to keep Mikado safe.  He had a plan.  He was going to try and get her to confess to her crimes by using the other girl as bait.

She rubbed her face.  But who’s to say that the devious woman wouldn’t throw Izaya under the bus as well for supplying her with the information?  If he was taken in by someone else…then…Her career would be down the drain.

She got a text message.

_ Everything is in order.  Stay away from the central part of town.  As long as you lay low and keep your distance, everything will be fine. _

She glared at her phone and angrily texted Izaya back.

_ Why shouldn’t I be there?  I’m a cop and he may need back up. _

A moment passed.

_ No.  He’s fine.  Stay away. _

In a fit, she threw her phone, watching it tumble across the street.  It lay on the opposite side of the dotted yellow line.  She was a cop!  Her job was supposed to be to keep innocent civilians out of these messes!  Then why was she being ordered not to go there and at least supervise!?  Because Izaya didn’t want her to.  He had other plans for her.

She would only be in his way.

When she heard footsteps, she looked up.  Two men in suits walked up to her.  The first one asked, “Hello, are you Ms. Carolynn Selph?”

She lowered her head and hissed, “Who’s asking?”

“We are.”

When she lifted her head again, she realized she was surrounded by about twenty men in the same suits.  “I’m guessing you guys aren’t traveling salesmen?”

The one guy smirked.  “Please don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”


	30. Mikado; In The Danger Zone

Mikado held his breath as he watched the woman climb out of her car.  He’d gotten Namie’s number from Izaya and told her that he wanted to make a trade.  He’d told her to meet her here, but now suddenly, he was starting to lose his nerve.

The woman walked up and asked, “Are you Mikado?”

He couldn’t find the guts to say anything.  He’d begun to shake.  When he finally went to try and say something, she cut him off with, “You’re a much quieter kid than I’d expected you’d be.  Or maybe these days, kids like you are the scary ones.”

Mikado looked around.  There were a lot of men in suits watching them.  He’d recognized them from climbing out of the same car she did.

She’d come prepared for a war.

“So, about that trade you mentioned…”  She stated, getting back on subject.

“Alright, look.”  Mikado stated, trying to keep his voice as level as possible.  “I can tell you where to find the girl that you’re looking for.”

“I see.  And what’s your price?”  She asked, completely calm.  She had her arms crossed and a smile on her face, waiting.

“No.”  Mikado retorted.  “I don’t want your money.”

That’s not what he was here for.  He wanted something else entirely.

“Then what exactly do you want?”  She asked.

“I want the truth.”  He answered.

“Truth?  I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do.  All I’m asking is for you to tell the truth about what your brother did to Mika Harima.  And about what you did to Mika’s body.”  He neglected to inform her that his evidence was circumstantial.  But he felt that Carolynn would have the answers.  When the time came, if she didn’t do as he expected, he knew that Carolynn could connect the dots and get her put away.

Right?

“I’ll be more direct.”  Mikado stated, clenching his fists.  “Turn yourselves in.”

She chuckled and sighed.  “So that’s the kind of young man you are.  Well, if you impede my brother…in anyway…I will never forgive you.  Anyone who does that is obviously wrong.   And…I won’t allow them to exist!”

His eyes widened in recognition.  Now he understood her – her personality – what she was after.  It all made sense now.  That’s why she did it…that’s why she’s marching all over  people – for her sick logic!  And now she was after him.  And from the look in her eyes, he knew that she’d be willing to walk all over him to get what she wanted.  

“So this is the reason…you toy with people?  Do you intend to make Seiji’s life miserable just for your own self-gain?”  Mikado demanded.  

“This is the question you ask?”  Namie hissed.  “If a boy your age suddenly gets wrapped up in the underworld and all he can do is shout clichés like that then he should learn to shut his mouth.” 

“Maybe it was cliché and simple.  But so what?  Who cares?  Someone like you may need clichés.  After all, you can’t understand the simple fact that murder is wrong!”

Namie waved her hand.  “You watch too much TV.  This isn’t a scripted show written by some hack.  You’re playing for real now.  You don’t have the starring role here – so know your place.”

Mikado put his hand in his pocket.  It was almost time.  If everything went as planned, then with one click of the button…he could…

Namie started laughing out loud.  “Why don’t I give you a taste?  An example.”  Her eyes narrowed on him.  “Say this is a scripted show.  I’m the bad guy and you’re the hero, right?  You’ve got some plan to catch me and throw me in jail.  Well did you know, that in your little storybook tales that villains are dumb and don’t know what’s going on?  Well here’s where reality and those shows are different.  I’ve known something was up for a long time.”

Mikado blinked.  “What?”

“Since I was first given the lie that the authorities had my brother.”  Namie continued without pause.  “The officers had said that they’d let him go, but I could tell they were in on it.  So I asked myself: Why would Izaya lie about my brother?”  Her hands clenched.  “Simple enough, I realized that it was because he had his own use for her.  So he was working against me.  If he’s working against me and you’re working against me, you know what that means?”

Mikado was frozen.  He hadn’t known about any of that.

“It means you’re working together.”  Namie flipped her hair.  “So I picked up a little insurance.   In Izaya’s office, he had several pictures all flipped around out of sight.  But, while swinging by without him around, I realized he had a little fascination for a certain girl.  If the two of you are working together, then you won’t want anything to happen this girl.  Even if I’m wrong and you’re not, then I’m sure you won’t want to make an enemy out of Izaya, right?”

Mikado asked, hoarsely, “What girl?”

Namie made a motion to one of the guys in suits.  They pulled a laptop out of her car and flipped it open.  On the screen, a video was playing.  Several guys in suits all had a hold of  Carolynn and they were taking turns punching her.  His eyes widened.  “Stop!  Leave her alone!  She doesn’t have anything to do with this at all!”

“See kid?  Not a scripted movie.  You’re not a hero and I’m not in the mood to let that girl live.  If anything happens to me, all of my men are ready to make the call.  Or I can if I suspect anything suspicious.  Your plans?  Yeah, they won’t work now.  However, I’ll give you one last chance.  Bring Izaya here.  I have a grudge to settle with him.  Then it’ll be on his shoulders if she lives or dies, right?  No harm to you.”

“But…” Mikado tried to reason with her, but she clearly didn’t care.  She wouldn’t hesitate to kill Carolynn.  Every time he watched her get punched, he winced.  The worst part of all is he didn’t even have a way of contacting Izaya.

Wait, yes he did.

He didn’t know for sure, but he felt it was true.  

It had to be.

On the homepage of the Dollars Message Board, he typed:

_ Izaya Orihara… _

_ If you’re part of the Dollars and can read this… _

_ You need to come here, right now. _

There were several messages back from confused members, but no sign of Izaya.

He looked up at Namie who still had her arms crossed.  

From the laptop behind her, he heard Carolynn scream.

“Please…just…make them stop until he gets here.”  Mikado begged.  “He will come!  He just needs time.  If you keep beating her…then he’ll only be  more angry .”

Namie sighed and flicked her hand.  “I don’t care about his temperament.  Those bruises are revenge.”

Mikado trembled.  Several minutes went by.

Nothing.  There was no sign of him.  He swallowed hard.  He didn’t want to post this for the whole world to see, but he had no other choice.

_ They have Carolynn. _

Mikado held his breath.

It seemed like only a moment later he showed up.  Over Mikado’s shoulder, he heard,

“I don’t like when I have to get involved.”

Izaya walked up, hands in his pockets.  He had a cool smirk, but his eyes were blazing with fury.  He faced Namie.  “What are you doing with the cop?”

Namie cocked a hip and scoffed.  “Don’t  play  dumb with me.  We both know the two of you are involved.”

“Oh yeah?  You got the wrong girl.”  Izaya informed, tipping his head.

“Is that so?”  Namie asked.  She looked up at the sky.  “Then why are her pictures all over your office…your computer…your phone.”

His eyes narrowed.  “You were in my office?  When?”

“After you were preoccupied with another intruder.  You followed her home and left everything unlocked.”  Namie informed.  “If you would’ve just given me my exact information I’d asked for in the beginning, then I wouldn’t have gone after you.  But, now look where we are.  I’m holding the single most precious thing in your life hostage and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

He hadn’t known Izaya very long, but every single time he saw him, he was always so…mocking and playfully cheery.

He’d never seen him look so directly pissed off.


	31. Izaya; A Rage-Filled Boy

“So what do you want?”  Izaya demanded sharply.

He could tell from the way she smiled that she was content having the upper-hand.

He felt like such a fucking idiot.  How could he have done that?  Yes, his priority was with protecting Carolynn, but that also meant keeping unwanted people out of his office.  Why hadn’t he even taken a moment to lock up that night?

How could he have let this happen?

He really hadn’t wanted to get involved first-hand today.

** Izaya flipped open his phone, expecting to see the call-to-action on the Dollars Message Board.  Instead he got: **

**_ Izaya Orihara… _ **

**_ If you’re part of the Dollars and can read this… _ **

**_ You need to come here, right now. _ **

** He closed his phone.  That was no fun, Mikado.  He didn’t want to do this for him.  He was really looking forward to seeing the leader of the Dollars blossom and take action.  He wasn’t going to ruin this by interfering.   **

** Maybe if he stayed back long enough, the hopelessness would turn into some kind of miracle worker and get him out of whatever he was struggled in. **

** The minutes ticked by and still, Mikado made no move on Namie. **

** Why was he waiting? **

** What was holding him back? **

** They weren’t even talking any more.  Was he really expecting a favor from him? **

** Mikado pulled out his phone again. **

** Another message on the Dollars Board. **

**_ They have Carolynn. _ **

** He nearly choked.  He racked his brain for how she could have gotten caught by a woman who’d never run into her.  He couldn’t think of anything, but that didn’t matter.  He wasn’t about to leave Carolynn’s life in someone else’s hands. **

** As he pushed through the crowd, he sent another message.  This one to the Transporter. **

**_ Do your job.  Bring her back safe. _ **

** He stashed his phone away and walked right up to Namie. **

“I still want the girl.”  Namie explained.  “But I wanted to savor your expression when you realized that you had been outdone.”

Izaya said nothing.  He couldn’t say anything.  He had never been in this position before.  He’d kept Carolynn far from harm and he felt he’d always had control over who got near her.

He’d never messed up like this.

“Fine.  You can have the girl, but let Carolynn go.”

Namie frowned.  “That’s no fun.  You’re not even going to put up a fight?”

“Let her go!”  Izaya snarled.

Namie grinned.  “You’re all worked up.  What happened to the cool, calm boy who had the whole city held up by  it’s  toes?”

“Don’t toy with me!” 

“You’re not indestructible, Izaya.  That’s the point I’m making right now.”  Namie informed.

“Fine, I get it.”  Izaya said, his body going cold.  The rage inside him was building like a storm and he knew that he was only going to be able to control himself for a little longer.

“While we’re at it, I want you to erase any information you have on us.” Namie informed.  “And make sure the cops don’t come after us.”

“Done.  Let her go!”

Mikado stepped forward.  “Izaya…you can’t promise that.  If you do then – “

“Shut up!  It doesn’t matter.”  He snarled, starting to lose his control.  “The only thing that matters is getting her away from them.”

Namie started laughing.

Mikado whispered, “Wow…you really do…love her…”

Izaya’s eyes widened a bit.

But he’d always known.  He’d known by the time that they started middle school that he was madly in love with her and would never spend one single day alive without her.

She was his everything.

“I want all of that done before  we  free her.”  Namie ordered.

He snapped.  He pulled out his knife and charged right at her.  “I said to let her go right now!”

He was blind-sided by a lamp post and thrown straight into a truck parked on the street.  He gasped and shouted at Shizuo, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?  Keep your damn temper in check for just five minutes so I can – “

“Sorry Izaya.”

He gasped when he heard Belle.  She stepped out from behind him.  “I asked him to do that.  If you would have landed that hit on Namie, those other guys were going to call for the final blow on Carolynn.”

“Belle…what are you doing here?”  Izaya asked.

Belle narrowed her eyes.  “You already know that I’m a member of the Dollars.  So as soon as I saw the post that they had captured Carolynn, I rushed over.  Tell them whatever they want to hear and offer them whatever they want from you.  We just need to buy some time for Celty to get to her.”

“How much do you…know about what’s going on?”  Izaya asked, standing up.

“I know enough.”  Belle informed, relaxing as she smiled.  “And I know…that both you an d my sister are to o stubborn to admit that you’re both in love.  You’re in a rage because right now…you’re helpless.  You can’t save her.”

Izaya said nothing.  He wasn’t used to be the one to be read.  Once he’d accepted the part of him that remained humanistic – his love for Carolynn – he’d begun to become predictable.  And almost human again.  His hands clenched.  “No one was supposed to know.  I’d always watched my back and even took the time to double-check myself over my shoulder.  She was supposed to be safe.”

“But Carol isn’t that kind of girl.”  Belle informed.  She started to say something else when Namie cleared her throat.

“Sorry, did we forget about me?” She growled.  “I still have the girl.”   She pointed to the laptop.  “Or should I break a limb to remind you guys?”

Izaya raised his hands.  “Relax.  I was just telling them to go back to my office and erase all files on you.  Is there anything else that you’d like for me to do?”

“Yes, actually.  That girl…I want to use her for an experiment.”  Namie informed, pointing to Belle.

Belle gasped, “What?”

“Your body frame is almost exactly the same.”  Namie explained.  “You’d be the perfect test subject.”

Shizuo stepped in front of her.  “No way.  Not happening.”

“She’s all yours.”  Izaya informed.

Both of them gasped.

Izaya looked at Belle.  “What?  You told me to give them whatever they wanted.”

“Not me!”  Belle shrieked.

Namie perched her hands on her hips.  “Do we have a deal or not?”

“How about…not?”


	32. Belle; A Girl Standing

Namie spun around to see three men in law enforcement uniforms.  “Cops? I thought I said –  “ Namie  pulled out her phone.  “Fine, I’ll just have the girl ki – “

She froze when  the Black Rider stepped up behind the biggest guy that was talking to her.  She held a limp,  unconscious Carolynn in her  arms.

From beside her, Izaya gasped, “Carolynn…”

Namie trembled, her fists tightening.  “So what!?  You can’t arrest me without a warrant.”

“We have one.”  The guy stated.  “Carol had already sent us all the information we needed for your arrest.”

Namie’s expression dropped.  “What?”

The guy tipped his hat to Celty as she rested Carol back on her bike gently.  “We were already on our way but this young lady beat us there.  She’d already rescued her so we just cleaned up the mess.  She told us we could find you here.  So, without further ado, you’re under arrest.”

Namie shrieked.  “No!  I won’t lose!  Get that girl right now!”  She ordered her men while she turned and ran.

Mikado, from Belle’s other side, shouted.  “No you don’t!”  He hit a button on his phone.

Belle instantly got a message:

_ Don’t let the girl with the green shirt and red skirt get away.  She’s been involved with human experimentation. _

Hundreds of phones went off once again and everyone was turning on Namie.  A few went straight for her.

Before her, Celty was fighting off some of the guards.  Once of them got her from behind and knocked off her helmet .  For several moments, they all stopped and stared in awe.  After the initial shock, everyone started screaming and running away.  

Belle stayed where she was, watching everything happen around her.  Shizuo placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “Well, it looks like everything is going to work out.”

Belle watched as Izaya gently lifted Carol up.  She was weak and injured, but she opened her eyes.  Belle smiled and then said back to Shizuo, “You know, I’m surprised you were able to stay calm around Izaya.”

“I did get to hit him once.”  Shizuo informed, puffing a cigarette.  “But, somehow, with you, I’m able to stay focused on what I need to.”

Belle smiled a little more, a gentle pink creeping onto her cheeks.  “It makes me happy to hear that.”

“But I am pissed off.”  Shizuo added.  “All of this…is happening because of him.  I don’t have proof, but I just know.”

Belle barely opened her eyes, her hands clenching.  “You’re right.”

She looked up when she heard someone shout Mikado’s name.  He turned around as Seiji Yagari walked up.  “Where’s Celty?  I want…Celty!  Give her back!”  He charged right at Mikado.

Belle gasped and reached out, grabbing the collar of Seiji’s shirt and yanking him back, throwing him against the rail by the street.  Shizuo dropped his cig.  “Whoa, Belle.”

She winked at him and grinned.  “Guess I’m a little stronger than I thought…”

He got back up, glaring at them.  “I guess I have to thank you for what you’ve done.  If it weren’t for you, my sister would have just locked her in that cramped research lab again.  I want you to give Celty back.  She and I have to get out of here before the cops find her.”

“It’s too late.  My sister is one.  Whatever happens, happens.  It’s too late to run away.”  Belle scolded him.

“I’ll decide that!”  Seiji shouted, charging her with a knife.  “I’ll set her free!”

Before he could get to Belle, Shizuo punched him, knocking him back.  Seiji growled.  “That won’t stop me.”  A couple more hits.  “Pain means nothing to me.  There will be no pain in the life I have with Celty.  Beat me all you want, I don’t care.  I won’t feel it.”

Shizuo growled.  “You keep spouting this same nonsense!?  That’s it.  I’m going to shut you up for good!”   Before Shizuo could hit him, that girl showed up.

She screamed for him to stop and stood in front of Seiji.  “Please don’t hurt him!  Just listen.  I know Seiji is harsh and violent at times but he’s not a bad person and there’s someone in this world he truly loves.”

“No way…”  Mikado whispered.  “…Mika Harima?”

Belle noticed that Celty was trembling and mumbling something about it not being her head.

Mikado gasped and shouted, “You’re her, aren’t you?  The girl that Seiji supposedly killed!”

Seiji mumbled.  “It…can’t be…tell me…he’s wrong…”

The girl turned to him and shouted, “I’m sorry I didn’t die!”  She explained how his sister and a doctor had worked together to remake her face to look like the one that Seiji was in love with.

Belle jumped when Celty suddenly took off on her bike.

Meanwhile Seiji started to have a break down.  “This can’t be true…this means that…”

Izaya was there, beside Seiji suddenly.  “Well, you couldn’t even tell the difference between the genuine article and the fake.  Guess your love wasn’t that strong after all.  Sucks to be you.”

Belle narrowed her eyes and scolded.  “Izaya, enough.  Don’t push your luck.”  She looked over to see Carolynn talking with Joe – her chief.  Good, he hadn’t just abandoned her over there.

Izaya frowned at her.  “What’s with the attitude all of a sudden, Belle?”

“I’ve learned some stuff about you – things I’m not happy about – and I really don’t care for you much anymore.”  Belle stated.

Izaya frowned.

Belle added.  “I know that this whole mess was started by you – your involvement with Yagari Pharmaceuticals.  Carol doesn’t know that she was actually being used as an exploit for revenge because of you.  I’m not going to tell her.  I’m leaving it up to you whether or not she finds out.  But…if she is ever actually hurt, I won’t forgive you.  I’ll come after you.”

“And I’ll kill you.”  Shizuo spat.

Izaya said nothing; just a frown.

He walked by them without another word and over to Mikado who was picking up the knife that Seiji attacked him with.  Belle listened in.

“I’m a little surprised by all this.”  Izaya told him.  “I knew there were a lot of people online claiming that they were members of the Dollars.  However I had no idea so many of them would actually make an effort to turn up when a meeting was finally called.”  He chuckled.  “Human beings defy imagination.  Remember, I know you came to Tokyo hoping to escape the hum-drum, but in about six months, this will all seem pretty ordinary to you.  At that rate, you’ll have to move to another country to keep it exciting.  Or start looking for things that are little more underground.  But I’d be willing to bet that you would get bored of that in just a few days as well.  The only way to truly escape the mundane is for you to constantly be evolving.  Whether you choose to aim high or aim low.  Enjoy each day for what it is.  Now,” He walked on up to him.  “As a sign of respect, I’ve decided not to charge you for Namie Yagiri’s phone number.  And I’m not gonna sell you out on being the founder of the Dollars.  It’s your organization, use it however you choose. ”

Izaya grinned and moved around Mikado just as a giant object went flying by right where he had just been.

Belle didn’t stop Shizuo.  She was actually glad.

She was getting really tired of that bastard running his mouth.

Shizuo stomped on his cigarette.  “I think you were just told not to push your luck, Izaya.  Leave the kid alone!”

Izaya sighed and stepped away from Mikado.  “Guess that’s my cue to leave.”  He waved as he walked off.  “Best of luck to ya, Taro Tanaka!”


	33. Izaya; A Devil

Izaya waited until Joe was done talking to her before he walked up.

Carol leaned on the street rail.  She looked different.  Her eyes were void of any of that usual fiery hue.  Her skin was pale despite the few cuts on her face.

He smiled at her.  “Hey, Car-car, how are you feeling?”

She looked at him with those dull eyes.  She said nothing.

It pissed him off to see her like that.   He stood in front of where she leaned.  He barely touched her cheek with the back of his hand.  “You there, Angel?”

She suddenly threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tight around his body.  He stumbled back a few steps, eyes wide with shock.  His hands rested on her shoulders.  “Easy…you okay?”

She shook her head and buried her face against his chest.

He softly stroked her hair and gently whispered.  “Come on…let’s get you home.”  He tried to pry her off so she could walk, but she just stayed clutched him, shaking.  He sighed, “You really are going to be the death of me.”

“I’m sorry…”  She whispered.

His eyes softened and he tugged his jacket off from under her arms.  He draped it over her shoulders.  “There you go, stop shaking.”

She looked up at him.  She looked so brittle and delicate that he felt suddenly like she shouldn’t even be outside, much less around so many other people that could potentially hurt her.     She pulled back just enough to slip her arms through the sleeves and hug the jacket closer to her body.  The sleeves were too long for her so she just balled them up and hugged them to her face.

“Are you okay to walk?”

She nodded and let go of the jacket so it fell past her hands.  He reached to her, taking her hand and pulling her close to him as they walked.  The whole way she clutched it tight and never strayed more than an inch away from him.  He didn’t complain.  He didn’t mind at all, actually.  He preferred her tucked away at his side.

He stopped at her doorstep and looked down at her.  She hugged his arm and made no move to go inside.  As adorable as she was right now, he missed that fire – that spark.  The life she had that seemed to flow into everything around her.  This brittle and broken girl just wasn’t her.  He asked, “Is it locked?”

She jumped a little like she’d been woken from a bad dream.  She pulled the key out of her pocket and looked up at him.  There was a look in her eyes that suggested wanting to ask  something.  But she was too scared to ask him.  He got the hint.  He took her key and, with a yawn, said, “Since  you dragged me all the way out  here, the l e ast you can do is offer to let me stay at your place tonight.  But since I don’t care about your offer…”  He strolled on inside.

Even as he shut the door and took off his shoes, she didn’t detach from him.  He suddenly had the terrible idea that maybe if he went to bed right now…

He shook his mind free of such tempting ideas.

When he dropped onto the couch, she stayed standing next to him.

He looked at her.  “Your TV works, right?”

She nodded.

He turned it on and relaxed, kicking his feet up on her coffee table.  He knew she hated that – it was sure to get a reaction out of her.  Nothing.  She just stayed there, awkward and stiff.  He arched a brow.  “What’s wrong, Angel?”

She looked down, shifting her feet shyly.  He’d started to think she wasn’t going to say anything to him when she finally spoke, “I had no idea…what was going on.  I thought…I was actually going to die.”

Izaya’s gaze softened as his blood ran cold.  All that fear, this attitude, this crestfallen spirit…

It was all his faul t.

He held his arms out to her.  “Oh, Carolynn…”

She didn’t go to him.  “The whole time…all I could think about…”  She whispered.  “Was getting to see you again.  I just prayed that you would come save me.  I didn’t even give second thought to anyone else saving me.  All I could think about was you.”

Izaya stared at her, unable to say all the things he’d ever wanted to say to her.  They all caught in his throat as the guilt of what had happened sank in.  He sat up.  “Don’t rely on me to save you, Carolynn.  I’ve told you before, I’m bad for you.”

Her hands clenched.  “I don’t care!”

His eyes widened.  He wanted to calm her down.  He took her hand and pulled her down on the couch with him.  As if by natural instinct, her body folded up against his.  She gripped his shirt and tucked her head under his chin.  At first, he was frozen.  He wasn’t used to such open intimacy from her.

He loved it.

He cradled her gently while she trembled.  She whispered, “Izaya, I know you’re not the best person in the world.  And I know that you enjoy playing dangerous games just to play them.  To win.  But…”  She sat up a little.  Her hand rested on his chest in the most tempting way.  They were so warm that he could almost feel her skin through his shirt.  He ran his hands  up her back, over her shoulders, back down her arms and rested his own hands upon hers.  He clenched them softly as she finished, “ None of that matters to me.  You’re the same boy who took care of me all through school.  No matter what you think of yourself or what anyone thinks of you – no one knows you the way I do.”

He tried to shush her by rubbing her hands.  She turned them and squeezed his hands in hers.  She said, much more softly, “And I never realized that…I was still so dependent on you…even after school.  I still need you, after all this time.”

Izaya’s hands dropped from hers.

Slowly, her silky fingertips danced up to his cheeks.  With a gentleness he’d only ever know from her, they stroked his skin.  For the first time that day, he saw her eyes flare with their usual luster.  With one look into them, he was hit by a desire so strong he had to close his eyes to resist the temptation.

All he was aware of was the warm touch of her fingers, the gentle breath that brushed his chin, the proximity – or lack-there-of – between them.  She whispered delicately, “My feelings for you will never change, Izaya.”

He sucked in a sharp breath just as he felt the tender brush of her lips against his own.  He stiffened completely.   He  was overwhelmed with the need  to fold her up in his arms and it took all of his strength not to throw her on her back and ravage her the way he wanted to.  No, he was too scared to do anything.  He was afraid that if he did, he’d break her, afraid that he’d mess this up, afraid that he’d ruin the moment.  

She pulled back and left his lips tingling with need.  As she pulled away, he felt as though he was losing a part of himself.  He swallowed his insecurities and tried to hide it by saying, “What was that, Angel?”

She smirked softly.  “A disappointment.”

He winced like he’d just been punched.  He couldn’t think of anything smart to say.  For the first time that he’d known in all his life; he couldn’t think of a good defense for himself.

After a moment, her cheeks turned red and she said, “ I…I was hoping…you would kiss me back…”

He stared intently into her eyes for just a moment.  But without a single moment more of hesitation, he cupped the back of her head and pulled her in for another kiss.  His lips crashed on hers a little more roughly than hers had on his.  He tried to control himself and still be gentle, but he was having hard enough issues controlling himself.  The feeling he got from her kissing back made his whole body thrum.  Every sense was on fire and his whole life was crashing around him.  His hand tightened on her hair, and every second the kiss grew deeper and deeper.  Soon he was dizzy and lost with nothing but her.  His body told him everything he  needed to know.  He could find salvation – despite everything he had ever done – in her, in this kiss, in this love.  His eyes widened and he pulled back suddenly.

She was shocked, he could tell, by the look on her face.  He touched her cheek and then brushed her hair back out of her face.  He’d finally gotten to mess up her hair in one of ten ways that he’d dreamed of.  He whispered, “I was never supposed to fall in love with you.”

“Why?” Her voice was trembling, almost begging him to say something more.

“Because…you’re only going to get hurt.  I was trying to protect you.”  He told her, his fingers sliding back down and gently tracing her lips.  They were so soft…so intoxicating.  The memory of the feel of them was so raw that it nearly burned.

Those precious lips curved up into a smile.  She said, “Would you please care less about protecting me and more about my feelings?”

Izaya grinned.  Now they were back in familiar territory.  “Your feelings?  Why on earth would I care about those?”

She patted his cheek in a mocking slap.  “Don’t be an asshole and ruin our moment.”

He teased.  “That’s what I do best.”

She smirked.  “I guess our ruined moments describe our relationship better anyway.”

When she smiled, he felt a tingling go through his skin again.  Before he could even think about what he said, he spit it out, “I want to kiss you again.”

Her brilliant eyes flared and she retorted just as quickly.  “Then what the hell are you waiting for?”

He kissed her hard, but still tenderly.  His hands were all over her and hers all over him.  He kept himself in check and reigned in his thoughts and his hands.  He kept them on her back and hair and face, not straying anywhere too soon.  He wasn’t one of those guys to take advantage of her – he wanted this to last as long as it could.

It was everything he had ever wanted from her.

It was kind of funny, actually.  A Demon and an  Angel  -  in love.  Their own little warped fairy-tale that probably only made sense to them.

But for the first time ever, with his lips on hers, he was content participating in some part of his own life.  Whatever the consequences that came from this were, they were worth it – worth her.

It felt like minutes, but was really more than an hour, they pulled back.  She collapsed against him and he held her all night long.  

Too afraid to let her go.


	34. Carolynn; A Girl Moving On

Carol clutched the pillow to her chest and curled up a little more.  She was warm.  She forgot what she was wearing, but it was cozy.  And it smelled nice.

She heard a voice.  She recognized Izaya’s voice.  Then she understood that he was on the phone.   She started to sit up but before she moved, she felt a brush across her face.  Fingers  combed  her hair out of her face and then circled around her jaw and gently rubbed her cheek.

“That just sounds like something I don’t care about.”  Izaya said to his cell phone.  “No, no, I’m not heartless.  I’m just a busy person. – Well, honestly, you’re just the last of my concern.  There’s only one thing I care about.”

Carolynn opened her eyes and looked up at him.  He smiled warmly down at her and played with a few splayed strands of hair.  Izaya chuckled on the phone and said, “Instead of listening to your problems, I want to brag about something really fast.  There’s an absolutely amazing woman looking up at me.  She just woke up and I’d like to wish her good morning so I’m going to get off of the phone.”

Izaya hung up while the guy on the other end of the line screamed.  Carol smiled and scolded, “You shouldn’t ditch people.  He may have really needed your help.”

Izaya chuckled.  “He just wanted to know how to make some money.”  He tossed his phone over on the table and leaned down to her.  “Now, let’s forget about that.   Good morning, Angel.”

She sat up as he leaned down and kissed him softly.  It wasn’t until she lay back down that  it dawned on her  that it shouldn’t have been so natural.  That was the first time they’d ever ‘good-morning-kissed’.  But, it just seemed right.  She sat right back up and pulled him back.  She kissed him again.  He smiled against her lips.  “I think I like this.”  He said.

Carol purred.  “Want some breakfast?”

“That depends.  Are you on the menu?”  He winked playfully, sitting on the back of the couch.

Carol smirked.  “You’re funny.”  She got on up and  acknowledged the fact she was wearing Izaya’s hoodie still .  It was so damn comfortable!  She adjusted it and trotted to the kitchen.  “I hope you weren’t wanting this back.”

Izaya grinned.  “Keep it.  Just make sure you tell everyone that it’s mine.”

Carol arched a brow.  “Think you’ll lay claim to me that way?”

His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against him.  “I’ve already laid claim to you, sweetheart.”  He kissed the back of her head.

“I know you have.”  She told him and went on to cook some bacon for the two of them.

As she put some oil in the skillet, she thought to herself that she was feeling much better than she was yesterday.

Yesterday was such a mess.  She had no idea what was going on or why those men had come after her.  She stopped flipping the bacon for a moment.  “Hey, Izaya?”

He had poured some tea for the both of them and was sitting at the table now.  “Hm?”  He asked.

“ Those guys who attacked me yesterday.  Who were they with?  Joe wasn’t allowed to disclose any information.  I know that you’d know, Mr. Information Broker.”

At first he didn’t say anything.  She turned around to face him.  He was staring absently into his tea cup.  He jumped and looked at her with a big grin.  “Why don’t we go do something tonight, Angel?”

She tipped her head.  “So, you don’t know?”

“I think they have a good suspense-thriller out.  You like those movies, right?”

“Izaya.”  She sighed and rolled her eyes, going back to the bacon.  She felt him walk up behind her, his hands on either side of her on the oven.

He kissed her shoulder and then turned his nose to her hair.  He whispered, “Does it matter, Car?  It’s over; you’re safe now.”

She reached her hand up and touched his cheek.  “ I guess that’s just the detective in me.”

“So, about that movie.”

Carol turned around to face him.  “You want to go see a movie?  I suppose we can…”  She ran a finger down his chest.  She playfully gave him a seductive look.  “Or we could…just stay here.”

“Doonn’ttttt do that.”  Izaya told her, groaning.

She pouted, enjoying his misery.  “You don’t want to just relax today?”

“No, I want –  “ He  didn’t even finish talking, just mashed his lips on hers.  She kissed back eagerly, her whole body growing hot with affection and desire.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed harder and harder.  Soon, they were kissing so deeply that she couldn’t pull breaths fast enough to kiss him again.  It seemed like all their years of pretending not to be in love was catching up to them all at once.  Nothing was enough.

She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist.  Her fingers slid into his hair and his lips moved away from hers.  They traveled down her jaw.  She closed her eyes and let out a breath like a moan.  He kissed on down her neck, and made his way down her sternum.  He started to take a step back, nearly losing his balance.

He turned, propping a hip up on the counter.  As his lips cascaded over every inch of her exposed skin, she kissed the curve of his ear and started to say something that would really make him lose control when she lost her balance.  She tried to catch herself, but she accidently put her hand right in the skillet.

She gasped and cursed, drawing herself back suddenly.  Izaya nearly dropped her, but saved and set her down gently.  “Are you okay?”

She gripped her hand.  “I burned my freakin’ hand.”

He walked her over to the sink and ran the water on cold.  When she put her hand under the water, she winced in pain.   He kissed the side of her face.  “I’ll go get some wrap.  Where’s it at?”

“Bathroom cabinet.”  She told him.

He wrapped the three fingers that she set in the skillet and then gently kissed each one.  She looked at him softly.  “Izaya…why is this so easy?  It’s like we’ve been this way all our lives.”

He smiled against her hand.  “We kind of have been.  Both of us just denied it.”

“I like it better this way.” She commented, a blush on her cheeks.

He wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her in close.  “Me too.  Now, let’s go catch that movie.  No more kissing for today.”

She pouted, but went to her bedroom and changed without protest.  She came back out, but pulled his hoodie right back on top of her shirt.

He arched a brow.  “I really like the looks of my hoodie on you.”

Carol smirked.  “Get used to it, you’re never getting it back.”

He grinned and they both headed to the theater.

Halfway there, they bumped into Mikado and Anri.

Izaya teased, “You two love-birds on a date?”

Mikado grinned.  “Couldn’t the same be said of you?”

Izaya paused, glanced at Carol and then backed off a step.  “What?  No, I don’t know who this chick is.”

Carol rolled her eyes.  “Izaya, that doesn’t work when I’m wearing your jacket.”

“Thief!” He shrieked.

Carol sighed and said to Mikado, “ H e’s annoying and childish…but,”  She smiled to Izaya who stopped throwing his little childish tantrum and grinned when she said, “I love him.”

Mikado smiled as well and said, “By the w ay,  I’m glad you’re okay.  I was worried about you.”

Carol frowned.  “Does everyone know that I was ambushed?”

“Well yeah, I had to find Iz – “

Izaya cleared his throat.  “I think that movie is going to start soon, we should probably be going.”  He informed, ushering Carol on.

Mikado touched her shoulder.  “Wait, are you still going to be going to our school?”

Carol nodded as Izaya dragged her away.

“Your secret’s safe with me!”  He called.  Anri asked him about it but he shook his head and they moved on.

She was surprised when she saw Kida trot over to them and join.  She smiled and stood up, clutching Izaya’s arm.  “Looks like everyone’s moving on.”

“Yeah.”  Izaya informed.

But his voice was guarded – distant.

He was hiding something from her.

And she had no clue what it could be.


	35. Carolynn; A Suspect

Secrets.

Everyone has them.  Everyone is entitled to them.   It’s these very things that make the world turn.  Even if you don’t think you do, you probably have secrets somewhere.  That one thing that you just won’t tell anyone…

Are secrets fair to the people around them?

What if it’s a harmless secret?  What if it’s not?

There’s so many aspects to this life that drive people to do unspeakable things.  This is the fact that Carolynn accepted upon joining her detective agency.

The part she hadn’t ever accepted, however, was that secrets couldn’t be justified.  She felt that they could.

She would never say anything to Belle or admit it to Izaya…

But Belle’s reaction to what Izaya said over half a year ago still bothered her.

That’s right.  It’d been six months since that meeting with the Dollars, Celty’s appearance to the entire city, and her confession to Izaya.

The subway came a stop and she got off.  She got a text message.

_ Have fun at work, Angel! _

She rolled her eyes and walked into the station.  It was quiet.  Scary quiet.

Everyone was looking around like they were searching for someone to blame for something.

Joe was standing at the back office.  “Carol.  I need to talk to you.”

Carol frowned.  She was suddenly concerned that she’d done something wrong.  She took off her bag and walked into his office, shutting the door behind her.  “What’s up Boss-man?”

He smiled at her.  “That good ol’ cheery attitude.”

“Always and forever.”  She sat down at his desk.

He adjusted some papers.  “There’s several things I want to talk about.”

“Shoot.”  She told him, her eyes going to the clock.  Huh.  It wasn’t there.

“How are you?” He asked.

“Doin’.”  She assured.  “You?”

“Fine.”  He paused.  “What about…Izaya Orihara.”

She nearly choked.  “What?”

“You’ve been keeping a close eye on him, right?”

“O-oh yeah.”

“He’s been doing  good  since getting away with his role in the human trafficking case, huh?”

Carol said nothing.  She just watched him.

He continued.  “I’ve known for a long time.   You thought you were fooling me, but I’ve never believed for a moment that you were willing to catch Izaya for his crimes.  Then again, I did believe you when you said that his role wasn’t as black and white as we believed.”

Carol looked down.  Guilt made her stomach wrench.

“Have you heard the rumors?”  Joe went on.

“Rumors?”

“I’m retiring.”

Carol jumped up.  “What!?  You can’t!  Why?”

“Carolynn, I’ve been in this profession for going on forty years…”

“But you were my mentor!  You’re the reason I’m here!”

“I know.  And that is why…when the time comes, you have a personal recommendation from me…to become the chief of this establishment.”

Carol’s eyes widened.  “What?”

“Unlike most of our officers anymore, you still have a duty to the citizens…you’re very noble. ”  Joe put his hand on Carol’s shoulder.  “I want the future of my city to be in the hands of someone like you.  If it were  you, that  would be my preference.”

Carol shook her head.  “I’m not…city-running quality…”

Joe chuckled.  “We’ll just see about that.  On another note… ”  he  gathered up his papers and stood up.  “Come with me, we’ll go for a walk.”

Carol followed like a good little girl, but her mind was reeling.  What more could he throw on top of her right now?

Outside the station he slowed down.  “So, according to your report:  the Dollars are a type of color gang without a color.  They were all connected through the online website.  There is no leader and no restrictions.  They do as they please.”  Joe gave her a skeptical look.  “All of this information is legit, correct?”

“Yes.”  Carolynn assured.  She hated that he had to be so guarded with her.

He stashed the paperwork away.  “And that’s all you dug up on the Doll ars?  Nothing about…their founder ?”

Carol stiffened for just a moment and then shook her head.  “No, nothing.”

Joe sighed and looked at the playground that was outside the station.  It belonged to the school for the troubled kids.  “Since I’m leaving, there’s a few things that I wanted to make sure were tied up.”

“Like what?”  Carol asked.

“The slasher case.”

Her eyes widened.  “It’s getting worse.  There’s more and more victims.  Why can’t we find this guy?”

Carol frowned.

He looked at her seriously.  “If you’re protecting him on this case, then I’m gonna ask that you back off this time.”

She shouted abruptly.  “No!  I’m not!  This one has nothing to do with him.”

He crossed his arms and leaned on the chain-link fence.  “Are you sure?”

She started to defend herself when she had to pause.  She thought about everything the slasher had done.  She wondered for a moment why the slasher had gone after her.   “I don’t…think so…”

“Well, I’m counting on you to find out for me.”  Joe informed.

After a moment, the understanding settled in.  “You want me to take over the Slasher Case?”

Joe nodded.  “You’re the only one I can trust with this. ”

“B-b-b-b-but – “

“I have an ulterior motive, too.”  Joe informed.  “There’s rumor…that the slasher…is connected with you.”

Her eyes widened.  “What…?”

“Everyone always mentions that the slasher has red eyes.  As far as anyone knows…you’re the only one in the city that does.”

“So…this whole time…I’ve been…?  The primary suspect?”

“Not necessarily.  But things are starting to get desperate.  Once we hit the point of  no  return, everyone might be focusing on you.”

“I think they already are.”  Carolynn confessed.  “When I came into the station today…everyone…they were all glaring at me.  Like I’d done something wrong.”

“I’m sorry Carolynn.”  He rubbed her shoulder.  “This way, though, you can make sure this case gets taken care of quickly and efficiently.  You can clear your name.”

Carol looked down.  “Why would anyone think that I…”

“I don’t think they really believe that you have…but their desperate to put a stop to it…”  Joe informed.  “And our cops are tired of getting crap for ‘doing nothing’.”

Carol looked down, her shoulders slumping.  “This mess is ridiculous.”

“I know.”  Joe pulled a couple papers out of the folder he was holding.  “Here.  These are the tasks I want to make sure get done.  I’m putting them under your jurisdiction.”

Carol stared at them before taking them.  “You…really believe in me?”

“I know you have your own personal affairs twisted up…”  Joe whispered.  “But I know that you’ll solve them efficiently.”

“Can I ask you one last thing?”  Carol pressed.

“What’s that?”

“It keeps bothering me.  I don’t know why I was ambushed by those guys in suits.”

Joe’s expression curved into a frown.  “Carol, you know I can’t tell you.”

“Why not!?  Just because it wasn’t my specific case – “

“No, but it falls under the category that we’ve restricted you from.”  Joe informed.  “Besides.  I worry that if you knew, you’d do something rash.  Solve your personal dilemmas and then…maybe I could explain it to you.”

He walked back to the station, but Carol stood there, awed.

Do something rash?


	36. Carolynn; A Struggling Girl

Carol walked home.

She was almost there when she bumped into a couple people.  They turned to her with scowls.  She dipped her head.  “I’m sorry.  I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Damn straight you weren’t.”  The guy snarled.  He held his hand out.  “Now compensate.  Gimme all your cash.”

Carol blinked.  “Seriously?”  Her eyes focused in on the yellow neck tie.  And the yellow that was splashed across the attire of his friends.  “The Yellow Scarves…”

“You’re a smart girlie.”  The guy teased, grabbing her wrist and lifting her up onto her tip toes.  “Where’d you get so smart?”

“Did you go to college?”

They all started taunting her.

Carol just let it happen.  There was no point in fighting with low-lives.

A few people walking by started barking at them to leave the girl alone.  The gang ordered them to whip out their cash as well.  Carol glared at them.  “Leave those people alone.  They didn’t do anything.  You’re just pissed at me  cause  a little girl bumping into you must have hurt.”

“You little bitch!”  The guy pushed her back and then punched her right in the face.  A couple of the people watching started shrieking about immorality for hitting a girl.  A few even taunted them to come forward.  Hitting a girl was really frowned on, wasn’t it?

Carol kept her face low, away from anyone else’s view as the blood dripped from her mouth.  She snidely asked, “Was that…supposed to hurt?”

The guy who punched her gaped.  “Are you challenging me, little brat?  You wanna go?  Shouldn’t you have a body guard or something?”

“I don’t need a body guard…for you little punk-ass pansies.”  Carol lifted her head, her eyes flaring with the intensity of her challenge.  “Cause you hit like a fucking girl.”

The guy shouted profanity in her face and went to swing at her again, but she easily   side-swiped it.  When the guy started to fall forward, she kneed him in the gut and then grabbed his hair, yanking him back up and throwing him into the wall.  Carol pinned him against the wall.  “You think you can go around, acting all tough and shit.   Well, let me tell you what, poser, you don’t have anything on those of us that actually  _ live _  in the real world.  Stop acting like a bad boy and get a life!”  

She shoved him away.  “Go home.”

A couple of the other guys leaned to each other.  “Man…what the fuck is up with that girl?”

“Dunno.  Her time of the month?” The guy asked.

Carolynn narrowed her eyes.  “Get going.  Now.”

With one look at her eyes, they all turned and bolted.  “Holy shit, that chick’s a freak!”

When they were gone, she looked at the others.  “Sorry about that mess, you guys.  Are you all alright?”

One elderly man stepped up.  “That was sure kind of you , young lady.  No one has ever stepped up to the plate and faced those hooligans.”

Carol shrugged.  “It’s not really fair for any of you to have to.  It’s not a citizen’s job.”   She gave him one last smile before turning away and heading on down the street.

Just a bit later, she heard a neigh and came to a stop.  She leaned on the rail as Celty slowed to a stop and then typed:

_ You’re really frightening. _

Carol smirked.  “A girl’s gotta get stuff done, right?”

Celty tipped her head:  _ Guys really like punching you. _

Carol laughed.  “They find me intimidating.”   _ You looked a little more aggressive than usual, is everything okay?   _ Carol looked down.  “Yeah.  I’m fine.”

_ Talk to me. _

Carol smiled a bit.  “You sure do care a lot.”

Celty stiffened, but didn’t type anything to her.  Carol let out a long breath.  Celty quickly typed:  _ Did something happen between you and Izaya?  _  “Why?”  Again, Celty was slow to type anything at all so Carol said, “He asked you to guard me again, didn’t he?”

She nodded.

Carol looked up and then closed her eyes.

_ Can I say something? _

Carol opened up one eye to see the message.  “Well, I’m not gonna stop you.”

She typed away:

_ I can’t say I care for Izaya.  Honestly, I don’t like him at all.  _  “Then why do you work for him?”  She continued like she hadn’t said anything:  _ But…he’s been acting weird.  When he asked me to start protecting you again, I asked him why.  Don’t be upset, but I kinda forced him to tell me the history between the two of you.  He told me that you were trying to repent for something you did in school. _

Carol watched her, but she didn’t respond.  Celty continued:  _ As weird as it is, for a guy I always thought to be a cold-hearted jerk who didn’t care about anyone but himself…he’s obsessed with you.  With protecting you.  But for some reason, it’s like he’s scared _ _  to get close enough to do that. _

Still, Carol remained quiet.

_ I’m not condoling anything he does…but recently…he seems like he’s on the right track to straightening out.  Don’t suppose you have any idea how that’s happening? _

Carol looked up and pursed her lips.

_ That idiot is in love with you. _

Carol smiled.  “You think so?”

_ I can just kind of tell. _

Carol slid down, leaning her elbows on the rail.  “I’m gonna tell you something.  And it’s going to sound kind of awkward.”

_ Try me. _

Carol took a breath.

“In all my life, the only person I was ever dependent on…was Izaya.  So I suppose it wouldn’t be strange if my morals were as corrupt as his…”  She looked at her hands.  “But that never happened to me.  If anything, I became even more independent.  Somewhere along the lines, after middle school, he stopped influencing me and I started to influence him.”

She looked at Celty in what should have been her eyes through the mask of her helmet.  “I don’t know when I fell in love with him.  Against someone I know had the potential to ruin my future.  Who gave me a past that I regret.  He knows…that everything I do…is with the intention of repenting for the crimes he made me commit.”

Celty typed quickly.   _ So to him, you live every day…to try and erase your past with him? _

Carol nodded.  “I joined the detective agency…because I knew that I could save people…while covering up his tracks.  No matter how much…I wanted to hate him…I couldn’t.  A part of me was still attached to him.  So…I would defend him…no matter what.”

_ You’re very loyal…and brave. _

Carol giggled.  “You compliment me too much, Celty.   I really am more bad than good.”

_ I don’t think so…I don’t really know you…but to me, you seem like an honorable person.  Despite what you say, you care very much about Izaya and his well-being.  I don’t think you regret anything. _

Carol smirked.  “I think that’s the worst part.  Cause you’re right.”  She looked up at the sky as the sun started to  drip behind the horizon.  “Part of me can’t forgive myself for caring more about him than anything else.”  She looked back down at the ground.  “I ask myself…why  I’m so open with you.  You talk to Izaya frequently, I should have been upset that he just…rattled my secrets to you…but I’m not.  I think I wanted you to know.”

_ Why me? _

“Do you remember the first time you saved my life?”

_ That girl that jumped off the roof? _

Carol shook her head.  “No, it was before that.  You probably don’t even remember it was me.  But it was my first solo assignment as a detectiv e.  I had found a killer and ha d him cornered, but no matter what I did…he wouldn’t go down.  From what I know now, I’m guessing that Izaya had asked you to track down the same guy.  You showed up the moment he went to attack me because I’d lost my nerve and dropped my gun  cause  I couldn’t kill him.”

Celty jumped:  _ Oh!  I remember!  That was you?  I had been there for a while.  I wasn’t going to do anything because I thought you had it under control.  But then you started shaking and dropped your gun.  When I knocked the guy out…I noticed…you were crying… _

Carol nodded.  “That was my first assignment.  And my first failure.  But it was strange because…I didn’t know you.  What you were…who you were…anything like that.  But…suddenly…I admired you.  I wanted to be just like you.  Strong enough to pull through when you were needed.  A brilliant, independent woman.”  Celty looked uncomfortable suddenly.  “My sister and I…we were always like best friends.  She scolded me for bad decisions, but we always had more fun together.  We never felt  the strain and boundaries of  sisters.  For the first time…when I saw you that day.  I felt a connection I could only relate to as…sisterly admiration.  Since then, I’ve looked up to you like an older sister.”

_ That is strange… _

Carol arched her brow.   Celty explained:

_ I was really curious about you…that’s part of the reason I agreed to protect you full time.  Almost like…I felt obliged to.  I…feel very protective of you.  Like…I knew you once before. _

Carol looked forward.  “That’s kinda how I feel.”

_ So this whole time, we both felt like siblings…but didn’t know it? _

Carol laughed.  “Silly.”  She cleared her throat.  “But…back on the subject you originally asked about.  I don’t know what’s going on.  We didn’t have a fight.  He’s the one that’s suddenly…withdrawn.”  She tried to hide the sadness that filled her gaze suddenly.  “I don’t know why.”

Celty typed:

_ Go talk to him. _

Carol turned and stuffed her hands in her pockets.  “It’s not that simple.”


	37. Carolynn; An Isolated Girl

Carol threw her stuff down on her couch and grabbed a pepsi out of her fridge.   As soon as she dropped onto the floor against her couch, she got a text.

_ So what were you and Celty talking about? _

Carol glared and texted back:  _ None of your business. _

The response:  _ Oh, ouch.  Why do you gotta be like that? _

Carol angrily clicked away.  _ Go to hell! _

When she didn’t get another text back, she sighed and relaxed on the couch.  Until her back, sliding door opened.  She jumped up and lunged over her couch, tackling him and trying to push him back out.  “Go away!”

“Man, why are you so hateful today?”  Izaya asked, his voice teasing.

Carol pushed on him harder to get out, but he wasn’t budging an inch.  “Here’s another question: Why are you such a jackass?”

He rested his hands on her shoulders.  “Are you mad at me?”

She glared up at him.  “No shit, Sherlock.”

He looked genuinely baffled.  “Why?”

She gave up trying to get him out and just turned her back on him, arms folded across her chest.  “I hate you sometimes.”

Izaya frowned and started towards her.  “I really don’t know what I did – “

Carol stomped her foot.  “I confessed my feelings for you!  And you did too – I thought – so why  _ now _ ?”

“Now what?”

She whirled on him, eyes flaring.  “Why now do you avoid me and then you re-hired Celty to protect me!?”

Izaya sighed.  “This town is becoming quite dangerous…Carolynn…You should avoid things that will get you in trouble.”

Carol stared at him dumbfounded as he walked around and dropped onto her couch.  “You’re avoiding me because you think I’ll get you in trouble?”

Izaya chuckled.  “Other way around, sweetheart.”

“So you’re not letting me choose for myself whether I want to get in trouble or not?”  Carol hissed.  

She was surprised when he gave her such a direct answer.  “No.”

Carol walked around the couch and dropped next to him.  “What is going on?  There’s something you’re not telling me.”

Izaya reached over to her and slid his fingers through her hair.  He twirled a couple strands around and smiled.  “There’s a lot I’m not telling you, Angel.”

She was distracted a moment by the tingling that coursed through her when he touched her hair.   “Why?”

He flicked his hands.  “I’ve decided that this part of my life just isn’t worth telling you.  It doesn’t benefit me at all.”

Carol clenched her hands into fists.  “Seriously!?”

Izaya chuckled.  “Yeah.”

She jumped right back up.  “There’s nothing funny about this, Izaya!  How can you laugh when this is so important to me?  I actually care about you and what happens to you and all you can do is laugh in my face?”

Izaya grinned.  “Kinda.  It’s a joke that you care about me.”

Carol stared at him, her face awash with rage.  “I can’t believe you.  So that whole thing…was just some joke to you.  You were playing with me, weren’t you?”

Izaya shrugged.

She slapped him so hard that her hand tingled.  “Get out of my apartment.  And on your way out, take a detour straight to hell.”

Izaya got up and walked out  after recovering from his initial shock .

Carol got a text message a few minutes later.  From an unknown number.

_ So how did it go? _

Carol looked at her phone, baffled and messaged back:

_ Who is this? _

_ Oh, sorry,  _ _ It’s _ _  Celty.  You gave me your number a while back. _

_ Oh yeah. _

_ I told Izaya to go talk to you.  How’d it work out? _

Carol closed her phone.  Of course.  She pulled on her jacket and headed right back out the door.  She needed to get away.  She’d had enough.  Between her boss taking off on her, her sister keeping secrets, Izaya being a classic asshole, and Ikebukuro spiraling into some warzone, she’d had enough.

She needed some place to think. Some place to hide for a while.

Somewhere…

Where none of them were.

She found herself downtown.  Beyond the cement walk.  In the middle of the sand, over-looking the ocean.  The moon shone onto it so full and bright, casting the reflection  of a second moon  in the soft waves.  The gentle breeze pulled her hair back.

She was a mess.  What was she doing here?  What was she doing at all?  Ikebukuro had always been her home, but now everything seemed…foreign to her.  She felt like secrets around every corner were threatening to tear her apart.

Over her shoulder, on the railing just above her, she heard her sister’s voice.

“What brings you here?”

Beside her, Shizuo adjusted his glasses.  “I’m gonna give you girls some space to talk.”  He stated, nonchalantly slipping his hands into his pockets and walking off.

Carol watched him leave and then looked at her sister suspiciously.  “So.  Does everyone know something that I don’t?”

Belle raised her brows.  “What are you talking about?”

“For the last several months, I feel like everyone is looking my direction and then snickering.  Everyone keeps talking to me like they’ve got something to hide.”

“You know I love you, right?”

Carol paused.  “Yes.  Why?”

“And everything I say and do, is with your best interest.”

“Yeah.”

“I do know something.  But I can’t tell you.  Because you need to be told by a certain person. ”

“Who’s this certain person?”

Belle gave her a look and it clicked instantly.  Carol whispered, “Izaya.”

Belle nodded.  “Ask him what’s going on.  If he doesn’t tell you…”

“I have asked.”  Carol protested.  “He said there’s nothing.”

“He lied.”

Carol stuffed her hands in her pockets and marched away.  “Imagine that…”  She paused and looked back at Belle.  “But, I also know…there’s something else that you’re not telling me.”

Belle crossed her arms and looked at the ocean.

“I wouldn’t keep it from you if I didn’t think it was for your own good.”

“Do you think I can’t handle it?  Or that I’ll look at you differently?”  Carol stomped her foot.  “I just want my old life back!  I hate feeling like I’m the only one living in my world!  Like everyone is conspiring against me!”

“I am  here!”  Belle argued.  “I’m right here, I’m still by your side, dammit!”

Carol couldn’t find anything to say.  She turned and headed back to the heart of Ikebukuro.


	38. Izaya; An Angry Boy

He flipped through channels on his TV, but nothing seemed appealing.

He left it on the news and went to his computer.  Turning it on, he logged onto his favorite chat.

Only Taro was on.

Taro Tanaka: Hey Kanra.

Kanra: Wassup??

Taro: Not much, just thinking.  WBU?

Kanra: Splendid.  What about?

Taro: It’s kind of hard to explain really…

Kanra: Try me.

Taro: So there’s this friend and they really helped me a lot when I was in a bind.  But see, this same person – someone I’m sure you don’t know – has been 

Kanra: Knock it off.  I know who you’re talking about.

Izaya glared at his screen.  No one was supposed to think about her except for him.

Taro: Anyway…she’s been really depressed lately.  I was wondering if you knew why?

Kanra: I do actually, so just leave worrying about her to me.

Honestly, he had no idea what was bugging Carol so much.  He flipped open his phone.  He’d sent her about twenty texts in the last couple days, but she didn’t respond a single time.

Taro: sorry…I didn’t mean to meddle.  It just…really worries me to see her so upset.

Kanra: Get over it.  No one cares about your problems.

Setton has entered the chatroom.

Setton: Kanra, there’s no reason to snap at the poor kid.  So what if this person is also your friend, she can have more than one.

Kanra: Shut up, Setton, you don’t know anything.

Setton: Actually, I do.

Taro: Setton, do you know who we’re talking about?

Setton: Yes. I know Kanra, anyway.  So I know who he’s getting defensive about.

Taro: I see.  

Kanra: I think both of you need to mind your own business and stay out of it!

Taro: Kanra you seem on edge, too.  You’re  not  usually so mean.

Kanra: Whatever.

Setton: Anyway, Taro, don’t let it worry you too much.  She’s okay, just stressed out.

Taro: So you talked to her?

Setton: Yeah, she got into a fight with some kids and so I chatted with her a while to calm her down.

Kanra: WHAT!?

Setton: Oh crap.

Setton: Wait

Setton: Kanra!

Kanra has left the chatroom.

Taro: What was that about?  Who’d she fight with?

Setton: The Yellow Scarves.

Izaya pushed away from his computer, hit speedial on the red phone and waited.  To his surprise, she picked up.

“I’m not talking to you unless you tell me what happened.”

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you.”  Izaya stated, hurriedly yanking on his shoes.

“I don’t think so.”

“Carol, listen, I – “

She hung up.  Izaya shoved the phone in his pocket and cursed.  Why wasn’t he informed of the most important things?  He had just started out of his office when Celty cut him off.  His eyes narrowed.  “So, when were you going to tell me?”

She typed quickly:  _ It’s not what you think!  It wasn’t bad.  She just…she was protecting some people.  You should’ve seen it, she had them running and crying and  _

Izaya smacked the phone out of her hands.  “That’s not the point you idiot!”

Celty froze.  Izaya grabbed her collar.  “If she sets off even a few members, they come back for more!  Even if she weasels her way out of that mess, they’ll hunt her down.  That’s what these damn color gangs do!  Your job is to prevent this from happening!  So why didn’t you do your damn job, Transporter!?”

Celty pulled away and picked up her phone.  She dusted it off and typed:

_ You need to calm down Izaya.  I won’t do anything for you if you yell at me like that again. _

Izaya took several deep breaths, but he could still feel his heart racing.  His hands clenched into fists and he asked, much more calmly, “Why…didn’t…you stop…her…”

_ She had it under control.  The fight was over before I could even summon my scythe. _

Izaya looked away until she held up another message for him to read.

_ You are clearly insane.  Here you are, badmouthing me and screaming at me for not protecting her…when you haven’t even lifted a finger to help her.  She needs you! _

Izaya pushed her phone away.  “You don’t get it, Celty.  I let my guard down.  I followed her and stayed close to her, thinking that I could protect her.  But then look what Namie Yagari almost had done to her.”

Celty paused, clearly thinking over her response.   _ Then you should have stayed with her instead of following the Dollars.  It’s your sick obsession with this game you play with people that gets her in trouble. _

“No.” Izaya snapped.  “It’s her involvement as a cop!  She thinks she’s obligated to put herself in harm ’ s way for other people and I can’t stand it!”

_ You sound almost human, Izaya. _

He looked away.  “Just protect her, okay?  Just because I’m a failure doesn’t mean she has to pay for it.  I love her.  I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

_ That’s the kind of honesty I’m looking for. _

Izaya looked at her critically.  “But in saying that…what if someone overheard? They could hunt her down and…do just what Namie did.”

_ So protect her from it. _

Izaya lifted a brow.  “Tell me, Transporter.  Your job doesn’t involve consolidating our relationship.  Has this job become a bit more personal to you?”

Celty pushed off her bike.  

_ Focus on you and her.  Not me. _

Izaya stood there for a long time.  He stared at the empty street.  He didn’t even budge when a street sign whizzed past him and right into the window of the lowest floor of his building.  He turned to look at Shizuo over his shoulder.  “Good evening, Shizu-chan.”

Shizuo sighed and scratched his head.  “I don’t know how you do it, but you’ve managed to piss off absolutely everyone in Ikebukuro.”

Izaya frowned.  “Have I?”

Shizuo glared at him.  “Yeah.  By upsetting Carolynn, you’ve pissed off Belle, too.  And now I’m hearing some rumors that really bother me.”

“Oh?  And what’s that?”

“You’ve been sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”  Shizuo snapped.  “You were involved more with Yagari Pharmaceuticals more than you let on.  You were more than assisting them.  You were guiding them with the hopes of getting your hands on something of theirs.  Right?”

Izaya grinned.  “Awe, and here I thought there wasn’t a brain in that blonde head of yours.”

Shizuo growled.  “Listen here, Izaya.  I’m going to give you one fair warning: If you press any further and get either of those two girls hurt, I really will kill you.”

Izaya lost all sense of humor.  “You think I’m out to hurt them?”

“That’s all you’ve succeeded in doing so far, isn’t it?”  Shizuo snarled, pulling up another sign.

Izaya grabbed his pocket knife.  “You know…I need to let off a bit of steam myself…”


	39. Carolynn; A Girl Breaking Through

Carolynn was on her way out of school when Mikado ran up to her. “Hey, Carolynn, can we talk?” 

She looked at him questioningly. “About what?” 

“I heard some guys talking. Did you get into a fight with the Yellow Scarves?” 

Her face twisted up. “What. No.” She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “They asked me for my money and I gave them a distinct ‘no’.” 

Mikado frowned. “Careful. Those guys are dangerous.” 

Carol laughed. “Don’t worry, I think I’m okay.” 

“Okay, well if you need help, just gimme a call.” Mikado told her. “I’m sure I can find some friends to give you some back up.” 

Carol shook her head. “No, Mikado. If you got the Dollars to back me up against the Yellow Scarves, you really will start a gang war.” 

Mikado frowned. “Well, it would be better than letting you get hurt, right?” 

Carol smiled softly. “That’s generous of you, Mikado, really. But I’ll be okay. I wish more guys were as kind and considerate as you.” She waved to him as she left. 

She stopped at Russia Sushi for dinner. She ate alone while Simon kept trying to tell her to buy more and more in order to fill her empty stomach. She wasn’t really hungry at all. 

Well into the evening, she happened to glance out the window at the same time she saw a couple people run away. They were all wearing some kind of yellow. She put some money on the table. “Thanks guys! I gotta go.” She grabbed her bag and ran out. 

Just a block from her house, she was cut off by a line of teens. A few of them were holding bats. A few scowled and grumbled. Carol tossed her bag on the sidewalk. “So. When a couple boys get threatened and upset, they go crying back to some more little boys?” She raised her fists. “Come on, Yellow Scarves. I’m not afraid of a bunch of pansy-asses.” 

She gasped when she was blind-sided by a couple grabbing her from behind. She tried to elbow one of them, but there was enough that they held her arms down. “Damn you! You bastards fight like fucking cowards!” 

“Aw, are you going to cry like a baby cause you aren’t getting your way?” One of them taunted in her face. She hissed and kicked out, getting him in the chin. 

The guy barked like a wounded puppy and shouted, “That’s it! Rip her head off!” 

They started to lift her off the ground while a couple guys came at her with bats. She had just started to kick at them too, when her phone went off in her back pocket. Since she was listening to her favorite song, she knew that it was a phone call. 

They pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the contact. “Douche Bag? Who names their kid douche bag?” 

One of the guys nudged him. “I’m pretty sure she just doesn’t like whoever it is.” 

“Who is it?” The guy asked. 

Carol glared at them. They grabbed her hair while the guy put the phone to her ear and said. “Talk, make sure he knows that nothing is wrong. We don’t want anyone coming to rescue you.” 

He hit the talk button. 

“Hello?” Carol asked, wishing she could just bite her tongue. 

“Hey, Car-car! Are you home?” 

She rolled her eyes. “No, I went out shopping for a while. I just got done eating with sis.” 

“Oh really? Where’d you eat at?” 

“Russia Sushi.” 

“Again?” 

“Yeah, my favorite place.” 

“Well, you should let me know when you get home.” 

“Why? Are you coming over?” She just wanted to punch him. 

“Perhaps.” 

He hung up. 

She rolled her eyes. Douche. Bag. 

They folded up her phone and tossed it. As soon as they did, Carol ripped her arms free and decked two boys in the face. She spun and landed an elbow to the other guy’s gut. Before she could get back around to the others a pole side-swiped her from behind, landing right on her hip. She gasped and dropped to one knee. She caught the bat that came at her and ripped it from the guy. She got right back up and took several swings. 

Before too long, she had all of them running again. She tossed her bat. “That’s what I thought.” 

She picked up her phone. “I hate that I owe you.” She flipped it back open, looked at the time, and then shoved it in her pocket. 

She headed on home. 

At her door, Izaya stood. 

She tried to walk by him. He grabbed her arm. “You’re limping.” He stated. 

“You’re standing in front of my door.” She retorted. 

He released her and put his hands in his pockets. “I knew something was wrong the moment you picked up your phone. Was it the Yellow Scarves?” 

She tried to open her door. He pulled her back again. “Let go of me, Izaya.” 

“Talk to me.” He ordered. 

She couldn’t hold it back any longer and she ripped her hand away from him and screamed in his face. “Why the fuck should I talk to you!? All you do is pick on me and use me and then toss me aside! You’re the same god damn person that said I shouldn’t ever be used that way, but that’s all you do! I don’t understand anything that’s going on and I don’t know what to think of you. But here you are, thinking you deserve control of me and my life. So give me one good fucking reason I should tell you anything!” 

Izaya’s expression betrayed no emotion. “Done, Car-car?” 

She smacked him. She puffed for just a moment. “Don’t ask me that like what I said isn’t a big deal.” 

To her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up against him, squeezing tightly. She didn’t do anything, she just let him while her eyes widened with surprise. “Izaya…?” 

“Let me come inside, too, please.” 

Carol looked down for a while. Finally she pulled her key out of her pocket and slipped it in, slowly pushing open the door. Izaya didn’t let her go and pretty much just carried her through the door and on into her living room. Once she was on the couch, he let her go and made sure all the windows were covered with either curtains or blinds. 

She watched him curiously. “Izaya, what are you doing?” 

He sat down on the coffee table and faced her. “Car…this wasn’t supposed to happen.” 

Her brows furrowed. “What wasn’t supposed to happen? What are you talking about?” 

Looking into her eyes, he rested his hands on her knees and told her. “I can’t…be near you. The people who are after me…they want to get to you, as well.” He told her, all of the normal playful, sardonic attitude gone. “They have the idea to use you as blackmail against me. And they already have.” 

Recognition flooded her face, causing her eyes to narrow. “Those guys in the black suits. They were with Yagari Pharmaceuticals. They were using me to get back at you…” 

“Yeah, and – “ 

She threw her face into her hands and shook her head. “God…I am so useless…!” 

Izaya’s eyes widened. “What?” 

“Now I get it.” Carol whimpered. “I’m like your Achilles’ heel. Once they get me, then you lose your control. I’m so stupid…” 

Izaya gripped her shoulders. “No, Carol, that is not the point I’m trying to make!” 

“I’m so sorry. No wonder you’ve been trying to avoid me…” Carol ran her hands through her hair and whined. “If you would have just told me, then – “ 

She gasped when he pushed her down on the couch and kissed her deeply. She was frozen solid under him, but her lips instinctively reacted and moved with his. She felt how desperate he was, but she didn’t understand. Continuing to kiss back, her arms found their way around him and held him there. She could almost feel his struggle to hold himself back and she had to admit that she struggled as well. Her heart was racing like a wildfire set free inside of her chest. His lips were so warm but tender and rough all at the same time. 

He pulled back just an inch and panted against her lips. “Stop…talking for just…one moment…” 

She breathed softly. “Okay…”


	40. Izaya; A Scared Boy

She looked shocked.

Honestly, he was too.  He couldn’t believe he’d actually gotten the guts to do it.  But he didn’t regret it one bit.  In fact, he wanted to do it again.  He stroked her hair.

“You’re not…a weakness.”  He whispered gently.  “Not at all.  I’ve been trying to avoid you because I didn’t want you to ever have to go through that again.  I want to keep you safe from harm.  But it seems that you always get yourself into trouble, whether I’m with you or not.”

“So this whole time…” She muttered.  “You’ve been…extra careful in reaction…to what they did.”

He relaxed against her, his head resting on her chest and he closed his eyes.  She was warm and soft and it was so easy to just…fall asleep.  “Yeah…I was so pissed off…and so…scared…”

She stroked his hair softly. His skin crawled with happiness and he squeezed her a little more.   Gently, she told him: “You don’t have to worry so much about protecting me.  Like you just said, I’m going to get in trouble with or without you.  Honestly, I’d prefer it be with you.”

He turned his head and looked up at her, his chin resting on her sternum.  “Are you sure?”

“I’ve told you before…”  She muttered quietly.  “I only ever really feel safe with you…”

Izaya sighed. He could feel his own heart pounding out of control in his chest, but for once, he didn’t care to hide it.  He brushed the back of his fingers along the edge of her face.  She tilted her head into it, surprising him by looking like she wanted more contact.  He carefully cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb.  “Carolynn…”

“Yeah?”  She moved her head just a bit to kiss the palm of his hand.  Every brush of her lips was like igniting a new fire on top of the already burning wildfire.

He leaned up and kissed her as gently as his body would let him.  “I love you.”

She smiled against his lips at first but then she kissed back.  “I love you, too.”

Izaya rolled over, his head falling on her shoulder as he happily texted to Celty:

_ You are no longer needed, Transporter. _

He felt Carol giggle and then looked up to see her send a message as well.

_ Thanks for everything, Celty. _

Izaya smirked when the response to his message was:  _ Glad you finally got your head out of your ass. _

He rolled back over and wrapped his arms around her tiny little frame.  He looked up at her and asked.  “How’s your leg?”

She sighed, turning a bit and hers came around his neck, holding him back against her.  “It’s fine, just sore.”

His hand slid along her side, dancing around the hem of her shirt and pausing where he could just see the bruise peeking between her shirt and jeans.  As soon as his fingers got close, she shied away.  He smirked, as he suspected, “It hurts more than you’re letting on.”

“It’s fine.” She retorted quickly.

He leaned up and kissed her cheek before getting off the couch.  “I’m going to go get an icepack for you.”

When he came back with an icepack, he set it gently on her hip while she sat up and rewrapped her arms around his neck.  She cozied up to him and then to his surprise, she fell right asleep.  After what could have been an hour, his leg started to fall asleep, he gently picked her up and carried her to her bedroom.  He gently lay her down and pulled the covers over her.

He then relaxed next to her bed for a while, debating whether he should stay there and guard her for the night, or go home.

The option wasn’t too hard.

His angel looked so beautiful when she was asleep.  He stroked her hair for a while and then just leaned on her window, watching out.  It sounds boring, but he was enjoying every moment.

To his surprise, he saw  his dear Transporter pull up.

He trotted outside.  “What brings you here so late in the evening?”

Celty jumped and typed:

_ You’re still here? _

Izaya frowned.  “Of course I am.”

_ So you two really did work things out? _

Izaya leaned on her front door.  “There wasn’t really anything to work out.  I just gave up.  Whatever happens, happens I guess.  As long as she’s with me…”

_ That sounds like a much better plan than what you had going on. _

Izaya looked up at her window and sighed.  “Yeah, but now I’m going to be obsessive with making sure she never leaves my side.”

_ You could always just stop playing.  Make amends with the enemies you have and _

Izaya started laughing hysterically.  “I can’t stop now!  There’s no fun in that at all!”

_ This isn’t about, fun, Izaya.  You got what you wanted, you’ve got her, now you have to do what’s best for her. _

He paused and looked down.  “I’m too selfish.”

_ I know _ .

He looked at Celty and then back at the window.  “Just…help me keep track of her for a while, okay?  I can’t stop playing.  Not now.  But soon…maybe things will finish up.”

_ You know that, if she ever got hurt… _

_ You would never forgive yourself. _

_ Right? _

Izaya stuffed his hands back in his pockets and headed back inside.  He barely whispered, “I already don’t forgive myself.”

In the five minutes he was outside to talk to Celty, Carol had rolled around, knocking the covers and the icepack off the bed.  Izaya sighed and picked it up, walking back to her bedside.  “Angel, you’re just a mess.”  When he set the icepack on her hip and went to pull the cover up, he jumped when she grabbed his arm.

Her exotic red eyes opened and he felt warm all of a sudden.  She whispered, “Stop playing around and come to bed, idiot.”

He stiffened, not sure what she meant.  No, he knew what she meant.  But he couldn’t believe it.  He was scared, but his heart was racing.  More than anything he was confused.  Should  he decline?  Should he be eager?

He realized he wasn’t breathing until she started laughing and he sighed.

She ran her hand up to his face.  “I’ll just take back my offer, I didn’t know you’d get so nervous, Izaya.  That’s not like you.” 

“Shut up…”  He ordered her softly.  He could feel that his face really was warm all over.  His breath hitched.  “I just wasn’t sure if you were joking or not.  I was not going to let you make a fool of me…”

She laughed out loud and the sound made him smile.  He stayed still when she gripped his shirt just behind his shoulder, she tugged and he slowly slipped into bed with her.  She rolled over to face him and she curled up against him.

He stared with wide eyes.   He wasn’t sure what to do.

She was just making herself comfortable and it seemed so easy for her.  

But he was scared that if he did anything, she’d pull away.  That was the last thing he wanted.

He kissed the top of her head and slowly stroked her hair.  “I love you Carolynn.  I won’t lose you.”

She nuzzled his chest, her eyes still closed.  “Of course you won’t.  You’re stuck with me, Izaya.  Cause…I love you too.”

He gently squeezed her.  “I know, Angel…”


	41. Carolynn; A Girl At The Bottom

When Carolynn woke up, Izaya wa s already awake.  He just calmly  stroked her hair.  “Hey, Angel…?”

“Hm?”  She mumbled, still half asleep.

“Do you believe in Heaven or Hell?”  He asked curiously.

She lifted her head and arched a brow.  “That’s a sudden question.  Why?”

“What do you think will happen to you when you die?”  His voice seemed distant, almost like he was figuring something out in his mind.

She answered honestly, “Well, I choose not to think about when I die.  I want to live every moment for all it’s worth.  If I spent all my time thinking about the afterlife, then my life now would be a waste.”

“You think so…?”

She leaned back over him, running her hands through his hair and resting her forehead on his.  “Is that why you’re as crazy as you are?  Because you never pay attention to what’s happening presently around you?”

When he smirked, there was a devious sparkle to his eyes.  “I prefer to blame you for the way I act.”

“Now that’s not fair.”  She closed her eyes and kissed him softly.  He kissed back several times, but she had to pull away when her phone started ringing.  She leaned over to her bed-side dresser and tugged it open.

“Hello?”  She asked, sitting up.

“Carolynn?  Hey, you need to come to the station.  Our new chief, Kinnosuke Kuzuhara, is here.”

Carol walked in, following the flood of the others and made her way to the back office where a burly guy was sitting at what used to be Joe’s desk.  He looked up at her when she walked in.  “You’re…Carolynn Selph?”

“Yes, I am.  You’re Kinnosuke Kuzuhara?”  She asked cautiously.

He held up his hand.  “That will be Mr. Kuzuhara.  Joe left me a briefing on each of you.  Says here that he left you in charge of the Slasher case?”

“Yes.  He gave it to me just a couple days ago.  I haven’t had a chance to – “

“Slacking won’t be tolerated at my station.  Get to work.”   He flipped through a couple more papers.  “Where is…Steven…at?”

“Right here.”  He walked up beside Carol and she shied away, not wanting to be any closer than needed.

“I have several witness reports here from several different cases.  In each of them, it appears that the criminals had something to do with some anonymous info broker.  I would like for you to find this guy.”

Carol gaped.  She started, “Sir, Joe believed that – “

“Right away.”  Steven cut her off.

Kinnosuke grinned.  “Good.  I prefer when people don’t talk back or question my authority.”  He turned to Carol.  “You could learn a thing or two from him.  Now get to work on that Slasher Case.”

Carol walked out of the station, hands in her pockets.  Izaya trotted alongside her, carefully walking along the rail that lined the curb.  “So, how is your new boss?”

“A total Jackass.”  Carol snapped quickly.  She glared at him.  “What are you doing so close to the station?  You’re going to get caught.”

Izaya blinked.  “For what?  I haven’t done anything.”

“This guy isn’t following the instructions Joe left for him.”  Carol explained, leaning on the postbox.  Izaya jumped down next to her.  “He’s adamant on pushing this Slasher Case.  It’s too dangerous to rush.  Plus, he’s put Steven directly in charge of getting proof to your role in the cases – especially the Yagari Pharmaceutical and human trafficking one.”

“I’m not afraid of that guy.”  Izaya confessed.

Carol sighed.  “I give up, Izaya.”

“Hey.”  He grabbed her before she walked away and pulled her back against him.  “Don’t worry about me, alright?  I’ve made it this far for a reason.  As long as you’re okay, I will be too.”

Her gaze softened at his words.  “Izaya…”

“Now stop pouting.  Let’s get something to eat.”  He ordered playfully, skipping ahead of her.

She watched him with misty eyes.  As the wind blew, again pulling her hair up and into her vision, she wondered if everything really was as simple as he claimed.  Was she over reacting?  Were they safe?

Or was the danger only on its way?

There was nip to the wind and she felt that the latter was true.  The winds were changing, as were the people around her.  She was no closer to the answers she was seeking.

Izaya looked at her questioningly.  “Are you coming?”

She nodded and ran after him, grabbing the sleeve of his hoodie when she caught up.  He looked at her for a moment and then removed her hand and placed it in his own before walking on.

Maybe it was going to be okay…

Steven was taken  off the color gang case so that he could focus his attention on Izaya.  Carol swallowed the thought:

It was only a matter of time before he found something.

“Ikebukuro sure has been quiet since that Dollars meeting six months ago.  No good stories.” Kida informed, watching Seiji and Haruna in the courtyard.

“Yeah.  Now everyone’s talking about the Slasher.”  Carol added.

“I wonder if the cops know anything about who it  is? ”  Mikado asked, clearly hinting at wanting an answer from her.

Carol swallowed a bite of her lunch.  “Probably not.  It’s such a dangerous case, I’m sure they’re having a hard time looking for people who are willing to take on the case.”

“No way.”  Kida retorted.  “The cops in this town are totally badass.  They aren’t afraid of one little slasher.”

Mikado smiled and agreed.  “Yeah, you’re right!”

Carol’s own lips curved up in reaction.  “Yeah…that’s pretty cool.  I’m glad you guys respect them.  Most kids don’t.”

Kida laughed.  “You’re a kid too, ya know.”

“Oh, haha, yeah I know.” She laughed with them.  She got a text.

_ Careful not to blow your cover, Angel. _

Masomi leaned over her shoulder and grinned.  “Aw, who are you always texting?”  He playfully took her phone.  “Is it a secret boyfriend?”

Carol gasped and swung up to get her phone.  “No stop!”  Her hand hit the edge of her phone and knocked it out of his hand.  But he had read something because his eyes widened.  Her phone slid over to where some other guys were eating on the roof.

Mikado hopped over to go get it while Kida growled.  “Seriously?”

“Seriously what?”  Carol asked, surprised.

He gritted his teeth, turned the other direction and marched away.  Weird.  That guy had a serious issue with Izaya.  Just what had he done to him?

She glanced over and saw Anri staring.  She thought that she was watching Mikado, but instead, she was gazing at the newspaper in the guy’s hands.

What was under her skin?  

Was everyone going crazy?

She was about to question Anri when Mikado handed her back her phone.  “You got a message.”  He said.

She flipped it open, expecting Izaya, but it was a message from a number she didn’t know.

_ All cruisers, we need you on Ikebukuro Highway 96, we’ve located the Black rider and we’re going to put an end to this urban legend! _

Carol’s eyes widened.  Kinnosuke…

He wouldn’t!

She put her phone away quickly, threw away the rest of her lunch and rushed out.

He could not take down Celty!  She hadn’t done anything!


	42. Carolynn; A Girl Under Attack

Carol ran as fast as she could through downtown Ikebukuro.  She had to get to them before they got to Celty.  Their new chief was crazy!

Several cars passed her, so she knew she was going the right direction.

Eventually, she came to a junction on 96 where all the cars and bikes were circling around.  In the middle, she saw Celty, looking confused and…

Scared?

She grabbed a megaphone from the closet cop car and shouted, “Kinnosuke, stop!”

Nothing.

She threw the phone and ran to where they were circling her.  She weaved between them and stood in front of Celty.  “That’s enough!  Kinnosuke, call this off!”

Kinnosuke was a stop now.  “What are…are you defending this perpetrator!?”

Carol could hear Celty’s voice in her mind question her as well.

“I can’t let you do this!  This is not what officers of the law stand for!”  Carol shouted.  “Our job isn’t to make ourselves look good!  That’s what you’re trying to do here!  I won’t let you!  She’s done nothing wrong!”

“She’s a monster and she doesn’t belong here!”  Kinnosuke retorted.

“She’s my best friend and I say she does!” Carol screamed back.

“Fine!  Stand by your ‘best friend’!”  Kinnosuke yelled and thundered his bike right at her and Celty.

Her eyes widened.  Was he really willing to run her over to get to Celty?  What was wrong with this guy?  Celty grabbed the back of her collar and pulled her up with her on her bike.  She took off.  Everywhere she went, more cops were waiting, cutting her off and making her take turns off the curbs and off ramps. 

When she finally got away, she set Carol down underneath an overpass and typed:   _ You didn’t have to do that. _

“Of course I did.”  Carol snapped.  “We’re fully-grown officers, not immature teenagers with reputation fetishes.”

Celty laughed softly.   _ You’re pretty serious about your role as an officer. _

“Someone’s gotta be.”  Carol told her.

_ Do you want me to give you a ride home? _

Carol raised her hand and shook her head.  “No, I’m alright.  Thank you though.”  She waved Celty goodbye and headed to her house.

Just down the street from her house, she saw a gang of kids with yellow walk out.  Again?  Really?  She started to toss her stuff when she saw all of them stiffen.  Then they took off.

She watched with surprise but nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice behind her.

“You’re always getting yourself into trouble, Angel.”

She looked at Izaya questioningly.  “I wasn’t in trouble.”

“You were about to be.”  He stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned his forehead on hers.  “Do  me  a favor and try to keep yourself out of situations that might also get you run over by a bike?”

She winced.  “You saw?”

“I saw.”

“They were going to arrest Celty!  I couldn’t just let them…”

“I know, I know, Angel.”  He rolled his eyes and grumbled.  “You’ve always got to bring justice to everyone.  Even a headless monster.”

She glared at Izaya.  “She’s not a monster and you know it.”

He raised his hands.  “Sorry, not trying to get you angry.”

“Then why do you say things that you know piss me off?”  Carol asked, growling as she walked towards her house.

Izaya shrugged.  “Guess  it’s  just habit, Angel.”

“Well, get a new one.”  Carol snapped.

“What’s got you upset today?”

She paused and turned, facing him.  “Hey…I got a question.  What did you do to Masoami Kida?”

“What’s a Masoami Kida?” Izaya asked.

Carol turned and raised her hand to hit him.  As soon as she did, he winced and prepared for it, but she stopped.

He opened one eye.  “Feeling generous today?”

She recoiled.  “Whatever.  It’s not like I can make you answer me.”

“It’s in the past, can’t we just move on?”   he  asked, draping an arm over her shoulders when she started to walk.

“If we could all do that, then this world would be a much better place…”  She commented.

The next day was rough.  She was digging for information on the Slasher, but she felt like she was going in circles.  Every clue she got, pointed to a different person.   But there wasn’t ever enough evidence to pin it on anyone.

She had no suspects.

No leads.

She was desperate.

She looked up at the tall building and at the window where she knew Izaya’s office was.  For all she knew, he was up there on the phone with the Slasher himself, provoking him.  It didn’t seem like it was too far out of his range of evil-doings.

She shook her head and turned away.  Why in heaven’s name did she love that guy?  His window grew smaller as she put more and more distance on it.

To her surprise, she saw Celty standing in the middle of the area.  She was watching some guy in a lab coat get harassed by some guys with yellow on.  She trotted over but before she could do anything, one of them walked to Celty and knocked her phone out of her hand.

The darkness spread around her, scaring the guys away.  Carol couldn’t help but smile.  That’s how it was done.  The guy with the coat climbed on her bike and took off.  For some reason, she wondered who that guy was.

“Hey you.  Haven’t we seen you around before?”

One of the three guys with yellow walked back over to her.  His eyes narrowed.  “Hey, yeah.  You’re that bitch that’s been beating around members of our gang.  Have you been having fun?  You’re a lot squirrelier than I would have expected.”

Carol turned to face them.  “Looking for a fight?  I’ve gone three days in a row bumping into you guys.  I’m sick and tired of it.  Get a life!”

“Well this’ll be the last time because you won’t be getting back up.  This is Harada you’re dealing with this time!  I ain’t no punk-ass whiney bitch like those other Scarves.”  The guy with the greased back hair informed, pointing at himself.

Carol made an annoyed face.  “Uh-huh.  All I see are three big babies who joined color gangs because they can’t stand up for themselves.”

“Why you…!”  Harada yelled.  “Come on guys!  Let’s beat the shit out of her!”

When they charged, Carol easily moved around them.  “How sad…”  She commented.  “Not only are you guys so pathetic that you have to pick a fight with a girl, but that same girl can beat you easily.”

“Oh yeah?”  Harada snapped.  

All three of them pulled out switchblades.

Carol’s eyes widened.  “What the fuck.  Really?”  She went to grab her own knife but realized it wasn’t with her.  “Shit!”

“What now, girlie!”  Harada yelled and dove at her, thrusting the blade forward.  It caught her shoulder but Carol moved around, grabbing his shoulder and yanked him to the ground.  Another guy grabbed her by her neck and then the last guy went right at her with his blade.

She heard a voice shout.  “Carolynn!”

To her left, she saw Belle rushing over.  “Carol!”

Carol screamed, “Belle!  Get back!  Stay away from here!”

Belle’s eyes widened.  “They have knives…!”  She started towards Carol when Harada got back up and went for her throat.

Carol ripped away from the guy holding her back and landed a fist in Harada’s face so hard that he went flying back and the switchblade flew away.  Carol put herself between Belle and the others.  “Stay away from her.”

The guys started to go forward again, but Carol grabbed Belle’s arm and made a run for it.  They didn’t chase very hard.  Thankfully.


	43. Izaya; An Unfocused Boy

Taro: There’s some crazy stuff going up on the Dollars website.  The Yellow Scarves are really starting to cause a rukus.

Kanra: I know.  They were laying low, but I guess as the Dollars become bigger and bigger, they feel more and more threatened.

Taro:  I guess they beat up a couple girls  at the Downtown Square.

Setton: Really?  I was just there.

Kanra: You didn’t see it, Setton?

Setton: No.

Taro:  I guess they were harassing some guy with a lab coat, but the Black Rider saved him.  They moved on to a couple other girls.

Setton:  Are they okay?

Taro:  No one’s said anything.  I guess they went running and no one saw where they ended up.  It’s kinda scary…I hope those girls are okay.

Kanra: If no one helped those girls, then I wouldn’t hold your breath.

Setton:  Jeez, Kanra, try to have a little faith.

Kanra:  Sorry.  Just being realistic.  Two  girls  vs.  The Yellow Scarves.  The equation doesn’t end well.

Izaya recoiled from the screen when he heard his phone go off.  He didn’t even pay attention to the ring tone when he picked it up.  “Hello?”

“Izaya…”

For one split second, his heartbeat stopped.  He reread the screen and everything Mikado had said about the attack.  This voice in his ear was defeated…broken…hopeless…

It was Carol.  “What’s going on?  What happened?”

“I need some help…”

“Where are you at?”  He asked quickly.

“I’m…in front of the downtown construction site  outside of the Square .”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

He typed quickly.

Kanra: I’ve got to go.

Kanra: Bye.

Taro: Was it Carol?

Setton: Was it Carol?

Apparently, he wasn’t the only perceptive one.

Kanra: Yeah.

He was there quickly, but he was a little shocked at what he found.

Carol and Belle were there.  But so were three bloodied girls, about a hundred people between cops, medical personnel, and others investigating the scene.

Carol was in one of the cars with her sister and another girl that he had seen with Mikado and Kida.   As soon as he walked up, the other cops left.  He rested his hands in his pockets.  “What happened?”

Carol glanced worriedly at Belle and then looked back at him.  “Well, I was in Downtown Square when some guys from the Yellow Scarves showed up and started things again.  Belle showed up and we got out of there.  But as soon as we got out of there…we saw Anri and three girls.  We were going to help her but before we got to her…”

“…the Slasher showed up.”  Belle finished.  “I thought those girls were dead…but they weren’t…”

Izaya glanced at Anri suspiciously.  “But it spared you?”

Anri looked away, her expression was guilty. 

But Carol added quickly, “It saw us before it got to her.”

Belle gripped Carol’s arm.  “But my question is…why didn’t it just slash us up too?”

Izaya didn’t say the thought that crossed his mind.  Belle was trembling as though she was terrified of whatever happened.

But he knew that most of that was just an act.

Izaya suggested, “Maybe there actually is some method to the Slasher’s madness.  Perhaps it’s looking for specific people.”

“Why?”  Belle pressed.  “What do any of those people have in common?”

“Could be nothing, could be anything.”  Izaya commented.

Carol caught his attention by shushing Belle and looking at him seriously.  “The reason I asked for your help…please, will you find out anything you can on the  Slasher?   I know you have the resources and I need to stay with Anri.  I can’t let anything happen to her.”

Izaya gaped.  “You’re joking right?”

“Please, Izaya.  You’re the only one who has a chance in finding out the culprit before it’s too late.”  Carol begged.

“No no.  Not that.”  Izaya stated, waving his hands.  “You’re joking about the guarding her thing right?  You expect me to be okay with you throwing yourself in harm’s way like that?”  

His eyes wandered to her shoulder.  There was a fresh bandage there.  It was starting to bleed through.  “Looks like you’ve already gotten hurt again, anyway.”

Anri spoke up suddenly.  “No it’s fine!  I’m sure that I’ll be okay.  I don’t think the Slasher will come back for me, really…”

“There!  Problem solved!”

“Izaya!”  Carol scolded.

Izaya threw his hands up.  “Alright, alright.  How about a compromise?  I’ll dig up whatever I can on the Slasher… _ if _  you find someone else to body guard the girl.”

Carol pursed her lips but finally she sighed and pulled out her phone, sending someone a text.

A moment later, she nodded.  “Celty said she will.”

Izaya clapped his hands.  “Perfect!”   he  started to say something else when another cop walked up.

“Okay, we’ll take all of you home, now.  We’ve got all of the investigation complete.”  He informed.

“Good.”  Belle sighed.  The officer started to just shut the door when Izaya leaned past him.  He grabbed Carol’s arm and pulled her out.

“I got this one, sir.”

The officer looked like he was going to protest but Carol raised her hand and he silenced.

Once the car had pulled away, Carol turned to him and looked at him distrustfully.  “What are you up to, Izaya?”

He smiled.  “Nothing.  I just wanted to walk home with you.”

“You’re not staying the night at my place again.”  She corrected him sharply.

His smile fell.  “What about at mine?”

She looked as though she was going to snap at him, but then she asked, “Are you offering?”

“Only if you say yes.”

She let out a defeated sigh and suddenly folded herself into his arms.  He was a bit shocked at first but after a moment, he finally wrapped his arms around her as well.  He stroked the back of her head and kissed her hair.

“I wish that Slasher was gone.”  She mumbled.

His heart almost leapt into his throat.

He’d almost forgotten this wasn’t her first encounter with it.

He had promised her last time that she would never have to worry about it again.  Squeezing her a little tighter, he mentally cursed himself.  He needed to stop getting distracted and focus on what was important.

She was.  That’s all.


	44. Carolynn; A Girl And A Gun

Carol nearly fell off the couch when she rolled over.  She grumbled and sat up.  On the table beside her was a can of pepsi and a note.  She flipped the note open:

Went out on some errands, be back soon, Angel

Carol sighed and sat up, popping open the can and taking a huge swig.   Letting out a breath, she crawled out from under the blanket and trotted over to the window.  It was nice, looking out over Ikebukuro from here.

She could understand why he enjoyed his office so much.

She jumped when a phone went off.  It was hers.  On the desk.  She flipped it open.

_ You doing alright, Carol? _

It was from her sister.  She texted her back:

_ Fine.  I’m more worried about Anri.  I’m concerned the Slasher was after her. _

Her sister didn’t text back.   She got a text from someone else.  Celty.

_ I’m outside.  Come talk to me. _

She looked down to see that she was parked outside the door.  How did she know that she was staying at Izaya’s?

She looked around for something besides her clothes that she hadn’t changed out of.  All she found was Izaya’s hoodie.  She slipped it on, zipped it up, and headed down.

“What’s up?”  She asked Celty.

_ I haven’t noticed anything strange.  Anri is at school right now. _ _   She surrounded by people who will take care of her so I’m not worried.  How are you? _

“I’d be lying if I told you that I was feeling wonderful.”  She told Celty.  “Honestly, my nerves are so twisted that I feel sick to my stomach.  I don’t understand what’s going on at all.”

_ Neither do i.  I have had a couple run-ins with the Slasher myself.  But…I really don’t know anything either.  I have no idea what it’s after. _

Carol looked down.  “I guess…we just have to play it by ear.  I’m looking into some stuff and Izaya is helping me.  Please keep watching her for a while okay?”

_ I’ll do my best.  I’ve got some stuff I have to do as well.  I’ll try to be back before her class lets out. _

“Thank you Celty.”  Carol bowed her head and then turned to go back into the building.  She was almost to the elevator when she felt a cold metal at her back.  She froze.  

“Want to let me in?” A voice asked.

Carol swallowed and started to turn to look at him.

“No don’t look, yet!”  He ordered.  He pushed her with the barrel of his gun.  “Take me to Izaya’s office.”

She didn’t have much choice.  Besides, he wasn’t there right now anyway.  She took him upstairs and inside of his room, he ordered her to sit down at the desk while he held the gun to her and they waited.

He came back a couple hours later.

“Welcome back.”  The guy with the gasmask sang.

Izaya’s eyes widened and then narrowed.  “What’s going on?”

The guy laughed.  “I’ve been waiting for you to come back so we could talk.”

“Then why didn’t you just get ahold of me?  Putting a gun to her really displeases me.”  Izaya stated, his voice started to sharpen into ice.

“Easy, easy.  It’s fake.”  He assured, pulling the gun back away from her.

Carol gaped.  “What!?”

He pulled the trigger and it made a popping noise.  Confetti came out…

She gritted her teeth.  “I  hate you .”

Izaya held his cold glare on the doctor.  “So what did you want so bad that you’d hold her hostage?”  As he asked, he walked over to Carolynn and grabbed her arm, pulling her against him.  She blushed as the protectiveness was so thick in the air she almost felt like it was a suit of armor around her body, protecting her from whatever danger awaited her.

The doctor waved his hand around.  “Oh nothing much.  Just a little something you happened to get from the pharmaceutical company. ”

For one distinct moment, Carolynn could see the clear definition of horror and fear span across Izaya’s face.  However he quickly recovered with his usual sardonic grin.  “Now, now, is this the time or the place for this discussion?  Don’t you think this should be left for when you have an appointment?”

The doctor shook his head.  “No no, this is the perfect time.  We’re both here.  Oh wait, this is something you don’t want your girlfriend to know about!  I get it!”

Carolynn stiffened.  Of course that was it.  That was always it.  She was always the one out of the loop and pushed aside like she was nothing.  She was the only one he never told anything to, while she told him everything.

“No, I just don’t think she should have to concern herself with –  “ Izaya  started but Carol yanked her arm away.

She put up both of her hands in defeat.  “No, I get it.  I’m in the way.  I’ll see myself out for a few minutes.”  When she turned around, she hoped that he would stop her.  That he would tell her that she was more important than whatever it was he took from Namie.

When he grabbed her hand, her heart soared.  Was he really going to?

He whispered, “Don’t go too far.  I don’t want you running into trouble.”

Again she grumbled a curse and stormed out.

After only a few minutes, she was bored.  This would actually be the best opportunity she had to go talk to Anri.

She glanced up at his window before she took off, avoiding any of the streets she knew would be hiding some Yellow Scarves.

She caught the group on their way out of school.  Carol dipped her head a bit and asked, “Anri, may I speak with you?”

Mikado and Kida looked shyly at her.

Anri waved her hand.  “You guys go on ahead.  I’ll be fine.”

After the two of them went on ahead, Carol looked at Anri and asked, “How are you doin?”

She shifted shyly.  “I’m okay…”  She looked even more nervous than usual.

Carol smiled.  “You’ve probably got a lot of questions.”

She nodded.

Carol pointed in the direction of the park.  “Walk with me.  I’ll explain.”

And she did.  She told Anri that she was a detective and what her assignment was.  She also explained to her that she was concerned about her specific safety and she was a little more personal about this case because of some people thinking that she had the potential to be the Slasher.

“That’s terrible!” She exclaimed.

“I know.”  Carol agreed, smiling at Anri.  “But I’m going to solve it soon.  That way you’ll be safe and I’ll be off the hook.”

“Do you think you can?  Do you have any leads?”  Anri asked hurriedly, hopefully.

Carol rubbed the back of her head.  “I’m…working on it.”

She frowned suddenly and looked down.  “You don’t have hardly any clues to go off of, do you?”

Carol shook her head.  “I’ll be honest.  No.  But…all I have to do is catch him in the act once.”

Anri’s frown deepened.  “What if it’s you he’s after?”

Carol paused.  She hadn’t really thought of that.  She quickly said, “Well then…I suppose...I’ll have to outsmart him at that point.”

Anri started to smile now.  “You sure are confident.”

“Cocky is more like it.”

Anri shifted her feet and said suddenly, “Listen…don’t…go out of your way for me.  I can handle myself and I don’t want anyone else getting hurt over this.”

Carol looked at her seriously.  “Anri.  I am a detective.  I solve crimes so that I can protect the citizens of my city.  I don’t do this job because I need the money or anything stupid like that.  I genuinely care about all of you.  I  _ want _  to protect you, with all of my heart.”

There was a rare smile that peeked through her lips.   “I’m glad…that there are still people who care so much…”

Carol started to say something else when Anri blushed a bit, giggled and pointed over her shoulder.  Carol turned around almost gasped with surprise.

Izaya was standing at the street corner, tapping his shoe while he pretended to just be minding his own business.  “Izaya…?”

He raised his hand a bit, a grin spreading on his face.  “Hey.”  He glanced at Anri.  “How are you?”

Her blush spread and she bowed.  “Good!  Thank you…”

He turned his attention back to Carolynn.  “I think I remember mentioning that I’d feel better if you stayed close…”

“Feelings?  Why would I care about that?”  Carol asked, winking and laughing.

Anri whispered, “I’m going to go on home, okay?”

Carol hesitated.  “Stay safe, okay?”

She nodded and trotted off the other way.

Izaya took Carol ’s  hand slowly – still a bit nervous.  He said softly, “C’mon, let’s swing by your place and get some stuff and then go home.”

Home.  With him.

Yeah.  That was right.


	45. Carolynn; A Girl In The Dark

_ There were whispers all around her.  Everything was black, except for a dark silver fog that rested around Carolynn’s ankles.  It was like a beast trying to eat her flesh. _

_ The voices whispered things about love and blood but there was too much that she couldn’t make out any of it. _

_ “Hello?” _

_ She called out. _

_ A scream answered her and then several shouts that were saying ‘mother’ over and over again. _

_ She looked all around her frantically but nothing but more fog and darkness awaited her.  She was really starting to get freaked out. _

_ Carol gripped her hair and screamed back to it. _

Carol bolted upright on the couch, panting.  For some strange reason she couldn’t pin point, there was a word stuck in her head:

Saika.

Carol looked at her phone.  It was one in the morning.  Next, her attention went to the light in the room.  Izaya was still on the computer.  She rubbed her eyes and got up.  “Izaya, what are you still doing up?”

“Oh just playing with people.”  He chuckled, typing away.

“Leave them alone and go to bed.”  She ordered, walking around towards his computer.  When she got just over his shoulder, he suddenly stopped typing.  His hands just hovered.  Over his shoulder, Carol looked at the chat.

It was blowing up with one person.

A person with the screen name Saika.

A distinct whisper prickled the back of her mind suddenly.

_ I love you.  Don’t you love me?  Let’s show our love. _

Carol was frozen solid.  The person was saying Shizuo’s name over and over again.  She leaned past Izaya to make sure she was reading it right.  “Who is that?”

“I don’t know.”  He stated, but his voice hinted that he was lying.   “It’s just a person that has been spamming all of our forums on the Dollar’s Website.”

“Delete it.” Carol suggested.

“I have.  Several times.”  He retorted.  “But it keeps coming back.  This is the first time that it’s actually said a person’s name or anything besides cutting or pain or anything like that.”

Saika suddenly logged off.

They just stayed there a minute, staring at the screen.  Finally Carol asked, “Izaya, what’s Saika?”

“The meaning?  Wealth.  But it’s also a Demonic Blade said to possess  peoples  souls by cutting them.”  He informed, looking like he was off somewhere else.

Carol stewed over this for the longest time.  Cutting?  Blades?  The Slasher?  Possessing?  No clues?

“Does it really exist?”  Carol asked.

Izaya jumped like he’d registered her presence for the first time.  He spun around to face her.  “Oh, probably not.”

The wheels were already turning in her mind.  What if it was real?  And it was possessing all of these people – that’s why there were no clues.  It was a different person each time, all possessed and used by the same person.  It made sense.

She gasped when Izaya took her hands and pulled her into his chair with him.  He looked at her seriously, but his eyes were a little sad.  “Don’t get any wild ideas, Angel.”

“I have a job to do.”  She told him.

“Anything but the Slasher…”  He begged, his hand sliding up to her face and cupping her cheek gently.  “I can’t stand the thought of you ending up like the others…”

Her expression softened.  “I know you can’t…but I’m in charge of this one and I need to.  I hate that people are getting hurt every day.  I’ve got to stop it.”

His eyes drifted away from her face and out the window.  “I remember…the first time you told me that you wanted to be a cop.  I laughed.  I didn’t think someone as purehearted and innocent as you could ever be one.  But I was wrong.  Those were the exact skills you needed to become one.  You’re the only worthwhile cop around.”

She blushed cherry red.  “Izaya…”

He looked back at her again, seriously.  “But I’m not going to lose you.”  He kissed her softly.  “Don’t go after the Slasher.”

Carol smirked.  “I am going after him, no matter what.”

He kissed her again, a little deeper.  “Please…”

“Sorry.”

His arms wrapped around her and when he kissed her this time, it was so intense that she nearly slipped right out of his lap.  She cupped his cheeks and held him there.  She kissed back every bit as fervently, letting her passion seep from her lips to his.  A gasp escaped from her when she felt his tongue against her bottom lip.  Her whole body went numb a moment and then tingled all the way to her core.

She let out a breath, “Izaya…”

“Don’t go after him…”  He begged against her lips.

“Every time I say no, you kiss me.  You’re not giving me much reason to say yes.” Carol stated softly.

He pursed his lips and pulled back.  “Then what if I said that I wouldn’t kiss you unless you agreed to it?”

“Now you’re headed in the right direction.”  Carol teased, wrapping her arms around his neck.  She gently toyed with the little hairs at the back of his head.  “But…don’t do that.”

He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers again.  “Then don’t go after the Slasher…”

She pulled him closer so their noses touched.  “You’re not going to win…”  She kissed his chin.  “Now go to bed.”

He kissed slowly and softly down along the side of her neck and then up to her lips where he held it for a single solitary moment.  He whispered, “We’ll finish this in the morning.”

Carol rolled over early in the morning.  This time, she didn’t catch herself.  She tumbled right off the couch and grumbled.   Her eyes narrowed when she heard a chuckling.

“Good morning, Angel.”

She looked at the other end of the couch where Izaya was sitting, sipping his drink and watching cartoons.  “Aren’t you a little old for kids shows?”  Carol asked, getting back up and sitting on the couch.

“Never too old.”  He corrected.

Carol saw a cup of hot tea for her too.  She picked it up and scooted over, leaning on him as she drank form hers as well.  His arm came around her shoulders and tucked her against him.  She let out a little sound as she made herself comfortable.

“You know…you could always sleep in my bed.”

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed.”  She snapped, curling up.  She looked up at him and nuzzled her nose against his neck.  “What is on your agenda today?”

“I’ve gotta go talk to some people.  I’ve been trying to get you information on your case without you getting involved.”  He answered.

Carol accidentally frowned.  “So you’re leaving again?”

He glanced at her curiously.  “You want that info, don’t you?”

“Yeah…” She mumbled.

Once he finished his cup, he slipped away from her and stood up.  “I’ll probably be back around eight o’ clock, okay?  You can order anything you want if you can’t find any food you  like.  My card is in my desk in the right drawer.”  He kissed the top of her head.  “Have a good day, Angel.”

Carol watched him leave, a frown engraved on her lips.

She wanted to spend some time with him.

The day went by slowly.  She found some stuff to play with, some stuff to misplace to mess with him and explored the whole area.  She went to pull out a book when realized that it was finally getting dark outside.  She could just barely see the sun over the top of the tallest building on the horizon.

As she watched it lower, she wondered if there had been any more attacks.  There had been reports on the TV of one happening about one in the morning the night before.

The same time that she and Izaya were at the computer when Saika showed up.

She dropped the book.

Saika.

The sword.

She rushed over to the desk and, as quickly as possible, turned the computer on.  It couldn’t boot up fast enough.  She rushed through his history and found the chat.

Saika: Cut, love. Mom

Saika: Mom, mom, mom.

Saika: Cut, Mother, Love,  Cut .

Carol yanked on her shoes.  She grabbed her gun that was with the rest of her stuff and tugged on her armor plated jacket.

She ran out the door.

The voice in the back of her head was screaming.

_ I want to love you, too. _


	46. Carolynn; A Girl Running To The Sun

She had never run so fast  in her life.

Her jacket was being ripped back by the wind.  The wind burned her face; so much it felt like it was being peeled off with a cheese grater.

Every foot fall was so heavy that she felt a reverberation up her leg and through her body.

Each bone was screaming with pain.

Everything was telling her to stop.

But she pushed on.

She couldn’t stop.  She couldn’t explain it.  There was something inside of her that screamed that if she didn’t make it there – she didn’t know where there was – in time, then somebody would die.

Tears welled up and fell down her cheeks.  Not from fear or sadness.

From the sheer burn of the wind.

She could barely make out what was around her.  It was all just a blur to her.  Honestly, she didn’t even know wh ere she was at.  All she knew was  that she was running.  Fast.

And the voice whispering to her was getting louder.

_ What do you think you can do?  Don’t upset mother… _

Carol pushed the voice away and ran faster.  Street lights were finally coming on.   It gave an ominous light to the street and her direction.

At some point, Carol ran through a puddle from a couple days ago.

She took a turn – she just felt that she needed to.

What she saw clarified all of her suspicions.

Anri was facing a wall.  It was the same wall where she had been attacked before.  But there was another girl walking towards her.  This girl, Carolynn recognized, was one of the girls that was picking on Anri when they were attacked by the Slasher.  

Now this girl had a knife.

As Carolynn stood there panting, it clicked.

She’d been slashed – and possessed.

Carolynn shrieked, “ANRI!”  She ran right at the girl who had her back to her.  Carol lunged on her back, hooked her around the neck and yanked her back down.  As she came down, she turned and tried to stab her, but Carol rolled away before the blow touched her.

Carol ran towards Anri and put herself between them, pulling out her gun from its holster.  She asked over her shoulder, “Are you alright?”

“Yes…how did you know…I was in trouble?”  Anri asked.

“Just a hunch.”  Carol stated and turned back to face the girl.  She wa s met with glowing red eyes.  “P ut the knife down.”

The whispers in her mind came back and said the same thing as the woman.

The gun started to tremble in her hands.  Was this voice speaking to her…Saika?

_ I want to love you!! _

Carol gasped as the girl dove at her and tried to slash her chest.  Carol blocked her knife with the barrel of her gun and turned, kicking her in the head.  She fell against the wall while Carol grabbed Anri’s arm.  “Come on!”

The two of them ran down the alley, away from the crazy lady with the knife.   “I don’t know why the Slasher is after you…”

“I don’t know either…I just…I just want peace in my life.”  Anri whispered.

Carol looked back at her sympathetically.  “We all do.  You didn’t do anything wrong, Anri, okay?  Keep your chin up!”

Carol came to a dead stop when she was cut off by the other two girls that had been picking on Anri.  They, too, had red eyes.  “Shit.”  She cursed and looked at the other who was coming up behind them.

They were blocked in by two buildings and three girls with knives.  She felt Anri’s hand tighten on her shirt.  Carol touched her hand reassuringly.  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“I’m scared for you, too.”  Anri whispered.

The first girl ran at her.  Carol waited until she was close enough that she pulled out her own pocket knife, tipped her knife and punched her in the stomach.  She let her weapon go and dropped to her knees.  She turned when the one came at them from behind.  She grabbed her wrist before the knife touched Anri and spun her arm around, turning her and kicking her back, knocking her to the ground.

Carol grabbed Anri’s arm and pulled her after her to get out of the alley.  

“How can we get away from them?”  Anri asked.  “Without killing them?”

“We gotta get –  “ Carol  gasped when the two of them ran out into a street a vehicle swerved to avoid them – and hit the three girls.

She and Anri stared in awe.

Within just a few seconds, the girls were climbing back up.  They went back to telling them how much they loved her.  “Anri!” Carol shouted, “Go right now!  Go home!  I’ll take care of them.”

“But – “

“Just go!” Carol ordered sharply, holding her gun in her hand.

She waited until Anri was a safe distance before she closed her eyes.  They were possessed.  They weren’t really in charge of themselves or what they were doing.  Killing them wouldn’t be fair.  But how else could she get away?

_ Why do you fight me?  Don’t you love me back? _

Carol pointed the gun.  It was for the better good – for the people that she would pull this trigger.  She aimed it at the first girl.  Just the leg, she couldn’t get back up then, right?  But getting hit by a truck should have kept her down.

She’d have to keep the woman down permanently.   That means she’d have to kill her.

Carol swallowed hard.

The gun was shaking in her hands.  She had to.

She had to pull the trigger.

The woman walked forward.

If she didn’t, she or Anri could die.

Or someone else could die.

But what if someone else still died when she killed this woman?

Then it would be for nothing.

The gun fell from her hands.

It clanked against the ground.

The woman lunged.

Carol couldn’t reorganize her thoughts.

Was she supposed to move?

_ That’s right.  Give into me. _

She felt the rush of searing heat as the blade embedded in her shoulder.

She collapsed as darkness wrapped around her.

Another voice echoed through her head.  This one was more familiar to her.

_ Carolynn!!! _

As she fell, she remembered it.

This voice had called her name before.

It had saved her before.

The pavement was cold; she couldn’t see anything.

What happened?

The girls were running away.

The whisper in her mind faded away.

Darkness overcame her.

Was she dying?

A helmet came into her blurry vision.

“Celty?”

She heard a voice say something else.

Something about breathing?

Or…possessing?

Oh yeah.  She’d been stabbed.

By the Slasher.

So what did that mean for her?


	47. Celty; A Girl Caught Between

Celty all but plowed through her front door with Carolynn in her arms.  She set her gently on the couch before Shinra even made it to the living room.  She anxiously typed.

_ Help.  Please, this is serious. _

Shinra shifted his glasses and looked at Carolynn, breathing heavily with blood and a knife on her shoulder.  “Okay…why didn’t you just take her the hospital?”

Celty typed faster.

_ It would be too risky to take her to a hospital _ _.  Izaya might find out. _

Shinra choked suddenly as though he finally understood what she was saying.  “This is that girl!?  The one Izaya’s obsessed with?”

_ Yes.  And he will kill me if he finds out about this. _

“How are you going to keep it from him?  I mean, she’s going to still have a wound you know?  And be sore and – “

_ I know.  I’ll think of something but I need a few minutes.  Please, just fix her up.  The wound was…well…she was cut by the Slasher so … _

“She might be already possessed by Saika.”  Shinra leaned down to examine the wound.  “It’s pretty deep.  It’s like she didn’t try to avoid the hit at all.”

_ I don’t know what was going on.  It was like she was in some kind of trance.  She’d meant to shoot her.  But she hasn’t changed.  She still can’t kill anyone. _

“Hm…will you grab my first aid kit?  We’ll get the bleeding to stop first anyway.” 

Using a towel, Shinra had pulled the knife out and rested it on the table.  Celty watched anxiously.  Scared for the moment when Carol opened her eyes.  Would she try to cut them?  Was her dear little sister gone?  Or…?

Celty jumped when her phone buzzed in her hands.

She opened it up and read:

_ I need your help again, Transporter. _

She stiffened.

Shinra noticed and asked, “What’s wrong, Celty?”

_ It’s Izaya. _

“What’s he want?”

Celty frowned and typed.  _ With what? _

She got a message back:

_ I think Carol ran after the Slasher.  Any idea where she might have winded up?  If you do, care to give me a hand and get her back here safe and sound? Thanks! _

Celty took a deep breath.

_ He wants to know where Carol is at. _

“What are you going to tell him?”  Shinra asked.

_ I don’t know.  I’m scared of what he’ll do when he finds out.  I don’t want to lie, but… _

“Let’s wait until she wakes up and see what she has to say.”  Shinra suggested.  “Well…if she has anything to say.  She may just cut us.”

_ Don’t joke about this! _

“I wasn’t joking…”

Celty closed her phone.  She thought of going to bed, but she was scared to leave the room.  What if those girls came back?  What if this wasn’t over and they were waiting for them to leave her unprotected?

Celty grabbed a blanket off the chair and curled up.

_ I’m sleeping out here tonight. _

Shinra smiled.  “You care a lot about her, huh?”  He chuckled and waved.  “Don’t stay up all night, Celty.  Get some sleep.”

_ How could I? _

She looked at Carol, sleeping soudly.  Her skin was pale.  But for the first time that she’d ever known her, she finally looked relaxed.

Guilt settled in the bottom of her stomach like a rock.  In not telling him the truth, she could imagine what Izaya was going through right now, trying to find her, worried that she’d been hurt…

Or worse…

Was she doing the right thing in keeping it from him?

She relaxed in her chair.  Only time would tell.

“Celty…Celty…wake up.”

Shinra was shaking her shoulder.  

_ What is it? _

He pointed to the couch where Carol was sitting up.  Celty lunged to the side of the couched and typed hurriedly.   _ Are you okay, how are you feeling?   _

Carol rubbed her eyes.  “I feel fine…”  Her voice was a question that she didn’t ask.

Shinra clarified before Celty could.  “You were stabbed last night by the Slasher.  We brought you here because we didn’t know if you would have been – “

Celty shushed him by putting her hand in his face.  She typed.   _ Do you know anything about Saika? _

Carol nodded, her eyes now drifting down to her feet.  “Yes, I do.   I know that Saika is the slasher that has been going around possessing people.  But if it stabbed me, then why am I not – “

“Maybe she can control when to possess you – “

_ Maybe she doesn’t want to possess you. _

Carol sighed.  “I don’t know.”  She started to move but winced in pain.  “Is Anri okay?”

_ Anri?  Anri wasn’t with you. _

Carol groaned and rubbed her head.  “Yes she was…I…”  She growled to herself.  “I sent her home so I knew she’d be safe.  Damn I hope those girls didn’t go after her.”

_ Sorry, I didn’t know. _

Carol shook her head and raised her hand.  “It’s fine.  How long have I been here with you guys?”

“You were stabbed late last night.  You’ve only been here overnight.”  Shinra answered.

“Great…” Carol grumbled, digging out her phone.

Celty typed suddenly.

_ What are you going to tell Izaya? _

She paused, thinking it over.

Finally she just shrugged her shoulders.  “I don’t know, the truth I guess.”  She added, “Actually I figured he would have already texted you by now.  Maybe he got busy…?”

“Well, actually –  “ Shinra  started but Celty wrapped darkness around his head.

_ I think he’s waiting for you to come home _ .  

Carol slowly struggled to get up.  “Kay then…I should go so he doesn’t freak out.”

_ Wait, are you sure you can make that walk?  That’s pretty far.  Why don’t you wait a while? _

“No.  There’s something I need to talk to him about anyway.”  Carol confessed, already heading for the door.

Shinra chuckled a bit.  “She reminds me of you, Celty.”

Celty punched his stomach.

_ Be careful, Carol. _

Carol nodded and went on out the door.

Shinra rubbed his head.  “You know how this is going to go right?”

Celty stood, dejectedly thinking she’d made the wrong choice.

“He’s going to be extremely pissed at you.”

Celty didn’t respond.

“I’d suggest looking for a new job…”

Celty stomped to her room and slammed the door.


	48. Izaya; A Comprehending Boy

His feet could barely carry him by the time he made it back to his office.  The sun was rising which made his tired eyes only want to close that much more.  He’d spent all night running around town, looking for her, but he hadn’t found her anywhere.  And no response on her phone.

He was feeling sick to his stomach.

He couldn’t lose her, he couldn’t lose her,  he  couldn’t lose her.  It was an endless chant in his head, but it didn’t make the blow any softer.

When he’d gotten home, he saw the chat log up, that Saika was making a move.  He knew she’d gone after him.  Unfortunately, she’d probably found him.

His skin crawled at the thought.

But there had been no new admissions to the hospital.  So far, the Slasher hadn’t killed anyone…

He had just started to push open the door when he heard footsteps.  He looked over and his eyes widened.  There was his Angel.  Hair messed up and going every direction, pale skin, ratty and dirty clothes – 

And still looking beautiful.

“Angel…”  He rushed over to her and wrapped his arms around her.  She gasped and pulled back.

“Ow, easy.”  She barely touched her shoulder.

“What happened?”  He asked quickly, eyes narrowing.

She looked at him as though she was thoroughly confused.  “She didn’t tell you?”

“Who didn’t tell me what?”  Izaya demanded sharply.

She took his hand and her warm fingers laced between his, giving them some purpose in this life again.  “Let’s go upstairs and talk.”

He didn’t argue.  He walked up alongside her and then opened the door for her.

As soon as they were on the couch she leaned against him with her not sore shoulder.  She whispered, “I know you’re mad at me right now…”

“I’m just glad you’re still alive.”  He whispered.

She reached up and touched his face.  “But…I had to go.   And I was right.  The Slasher went after Anri again.”

“But you didn’t have to go alone – “

“If I had waited for you or anyone else, then she would have been dead.”  Carol sighed heavily.  “I don’t even know if she is okay or not.”

“What do you mean?”  That was just like his Angel.  Always worried about everyone else, never giving any thought to herself.  It drove him crazy that she was the kind of person that would take a bullet for anyone.  The one person in this world that he couldn’t stand to see hurt.

“There was three of them.”  Carol confessed.  “And I couldn’t fight them all off.  So I told Anri to get out of there while I kept them back.”  His fists tightened on his thighs.  She could have been killed… “I got stabbed on the shoulder, but Celty saved me.”

He froze.  “What?”

“I’m okay! It’s not that bad, I just – “

“No.   _ Celty _  saved you?”  He demanded.

“Yeah?  Why?”  Her eyes were big and round.

“Is that where you’ve been?”

“…Yes…”

He pressed his hands to his face and growled inwardly.  “You’ve been with her all night and she didn’t bother telling me.”

“She didn’t tell you?”  Carol asked.  “I thought she had.”

“Do you really think I would have been here if she had?”

Carol looked down and then softly climbed into his lap.  The moment she did, he was still careful and pressed his face to the crook of her neck.  He breathed her in, thankful he hadn’t lost her.   “It doesn’t matter.  You’re safe.”

He felt her kiss the side of his head and then whisper, “You should sleep,  you’ve  been out all night.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Please?”

“On one condition…” 

“Okay.”

“You cannot leave this room while I sleep.  You have to stay here, no matter what.”

“I can do that.”  She told him and kissed his forehead, and then a line down to his lips.  He kissed her back several times the second he felt her lips.  He gently lay back on his back across the couch, keeping her on top of him.  They never parted their lips.  Her hands rested on his chest, her fingers making little circles against his shirt.

It was the little things he loved most about her.

She pulled back.  “You can’t sleep if you’re kissing me.”

“I’m willing to put that to the test.”  He teased.

She giggled and kissed him one more time.  “Go to sleep.”

It was easy for him to sleep.

Especially when she curled up and snuggled against him, turning the TV on low and never leaving his side.  Not even when he finally passed out.

When he woke up, he was surprised to see a plate of food on the coffee table and his favorite hot tea.  He looked over and saw Carol sit down next to where he was laying.  She smiled.  “I made you something.”

“I see that.”  He stated, sitting up.  “You didn’t have to.”

“So?”   She giggled.  “I didn’t have anything else to do.  And I thought you’d be a little hungry when you woke up.”  She leaned over and softly kissed his cheek.

His skin went warm where her lips touched and then all the way along his body.  He leaned toward her and caught her lips with his.  She eagerly kissed him back and he was pleased.  He stroked her hair and then ate what she’d so kindly made for him.

When he got done, he noticed she was still a little stiff.  “Your shoulder is hurting you, isn’t it?”

She blushed and shifted.  “Maybe a little.”

Izaya leaned over to her and frowned.  “How bad is it, let me see.”  She didn’t move away and he tugged her shirt a little lower so he could see the bandages on her cut.  They were starting to turn red over where the cut was and it reached from close to her neck to under her collarbone.  “Angel…”

“I’m okay!”  She told him quickly, her cheeks still a sweet shade of red.  “It’s sore, but it doesn’t hurt.”

He softly kissed her shoulder.  He wished that the action could take all of her pain away, but he knew that of all the things he was able to do, that wasn’t one of them.  “This is why I didn’t want you to go after the Slasher.” 

“It’s better me than Anri.”  She countered.

He stiffened.  He pulled her in close, kissing her shoulder multiple times.  “No.  You’re the last person in this world that deserves to get hurt.  Of all the people, you’re the one that deserves to be protected…from everything.  You shouldn’t have to do anything.”

“Izaya…”  She whispered.

Suddenly he couldn’t wait another moment.  He pressed his forehead to hers and begged.  “Carolynn, move in with me and quit.  I can take care of you.  You don’t have to do this anymore.  You can find another way of repenting…”

Her eyes were wide as she looked at him.

She finally whispered. “How many times do I have to tell you that I cannot quit?  I won’t, Izaya.”

“I hate thinking about you throwing yourself into danger every single day…”  He whispered back, his lips brushing against hers.  “I want you to just…stay away from all that mess…where I can protect you.”

Carol looked down, her eyes focusing in on the floor.  “Can we compromise?”

He felt like his heart skipped a beat when she finished with, “I think, I’d like to move in with you…”

For some reason, he suddenly lost what he was ranting on.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  His breath caught in his throat and all he could spit out was, “Seriously?”

A huge blush spread on her cheeks.  “Well, you kinda offered that…right?”

He shook his head and said quickly.  “Yeah, yes.  I mean, I did.  I just…wasn’t expecting you to say yes…”

She looked down, causing her hair to fall in her face.  With her looking so cute, so shy, so beautiful, so…

Everything he wanted.

He scooped her hair out of  her face and softly kissed her  forehead.   “So…how soon are we talking?”


	49. Carolynn; A Girl In The Line Of Fire

Carol rubbed her hair out with the towel.  It seemed like eternity since she had gotten up at five in the morning to go to school.  She’d skipped the last week of school because Izaya didn’t want her going out with all that Slasher business, but she’d finally convinced him to let her go today.

When she tossed the towel her hair went everywhere and she laughed at herself.  She pulled on her shirt and skirt and stared at her reflection.  It was so weird, looking at herself and wondering what people would think of her at school.  Running a hand through her wet hair she trotted out of the bathroom.

Izaya waved his hand from the couch.  “You should take another day off from school.”

Carol laughed as she grabbed the cup of tea that she’d gotten used to him making for her early in the morning.  She took a sip and then walked back over behind the couch, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his head.  “I still have my job, Izaya.”

“I wish you didn’t.”  He sang.

“I know you do.”  She told him, kissing the top of his head.  “But it’s not gonna change.”

He leaned his head up and kissed her chin back and added, “But it makes it worth it to see you in that sexy school uniform. ”

Carol rolled her eyes.  “Get your mind out of the gutter, Izaya.”

“It’s nowhere near the gutter.  You’re the one wearing that.”

“Shut up!”  She laughed, finishing her cup of tea and pulling on her jacket.  She went to get her shoes on when Izaya called her over.

She dropped down next to him and he slipped her headband into her hair.  “Stay safe, Angel.  Text me every five minutes or I’m coming to get you.”

“I’ll text you between classes.” She retorted.

“And twice during.”

“Once during.”

“Fine.  If I have a heart attack while you’re gone, it’s your fault.”

Carol patted his chest.  “You have the heart of an old man?  You should work out more.”

“I’m good.”

She kissed him softly.  “I gotta go.”

Outside the wind caught her hair and she was thankful for the band, keeping it back out of her face.  She hadn’t even made it halfway down the street when she got a text message.

_Miss you already, Angel._ [Symbol]

Carol laughed and walked on.

She was on her way through the park when she bumped into someone who was looking at their phone.  She backed up a step.  “Excuse me, sorry.  I was n’t  looking where I was going.”

“No, that was my bad, I…have a lot on my mind.”  He said, his worried eyes back on his phone.

“What’s wrong?” Carol asked and then scolded herself for getting in peoples’ business.

“I’m a reporter and I’m having issues finding who I’m looking for.”  The reporter explained.

“Who are you looking for?”  Carol asked.

“A guy by the name of Shizuo Heiwajima.”

Carol laughed and flicked her hand.  “Shizu?  I don’t know where he hangs out, but I know that he goes to Russia Sushi often.  Simon, there, might be able to tell you something.”

“Oh gee, thanks.”  The guy tipped his hat.  “What was your name, in case I should cite you?”

“Carolynn Selph.”  She waved and skipped off.

School was as usual.  She listened in for talk of the Dollars or Yellow Scarves or anything else.  Like usual, there was nothing.

The only thing that was the slightest bit unusual was Anri’s willingness to stick near her and talk with her. She asked several times, when they weren’t near anyone else, how the Slasher case was coming along.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have anything new to tell her.  Carol was just glad that the girl had made it home safe and sound.

She got a text message during her fifth hour class.  Izaya, of course.

_ I just had some weirdo show up asking about Shizuo Heiwajima. _

Carol giggled and texted back:  _ Was he doing an article on the toughest guy in Ikebukuro? _

_ How did you know!?   _

_ I bumped into him on my way to school. _

On her way home, she saw Mikado sitting on the edge of the fountain.  He was n’t  doing anything.  Just quietly sitting there.  Carol walked over and asked, “Is everything okay?”

Mikado looked sadly up at her.  “Just thinking.”

“Everyone seems to be doing a lot of that these days.  What’s weighing you down?”

“The Slasher.”

Carol frowned.  “Oh, I see.”

“There’s rumor going around that it’s one of the Dollars.”

Carol rolled her eyes.  Rumors.  Anytime they were mentioned, it seemed like Izaya had a hand in spreading them.   “Don’t worry about rumors.  They’re just nonsense.”

“Yes, but.”  Mikado looked up at her seriously.  “If these rumors spread…then I’m worried about the tension between the Dollars and the Yellow Scarves.”  He jumped up.  “We could be talking about a war, here.”

Carol frowned.  “Yeah.  That is a problem.”  She slid her hands in her pockets.  “I’ll make sure that rumor doesn’t spread, okay?”

“How do you plan to do that?”  Mikado questioned.

“I might know who’s doing the spreading.  Otherwise, I’ll talk to the boys at the station and let them know that we need to put a halt to it.”

“Thanks, Carol.  I appreciate it.”

“Anytime.”  She waved her hand and headed on.  What would that rumor serve as a purpose for?  She looked around as she walked.  Several people with yellow were wandering, lingering.  The whole city seemed to be getting dangerous.  Anymore, she was scared to be caught out alone.

Like now.

An ambulance drove by the street she was just about to cross.  Speaking of.

She got a phone call the same moment she got a text.  She answered first.  “Hello?”

“Come to the station.  There was another Slasher attack.”

“Why do I need to show up?  I’m just the detective.  Actually, I got a lead, I was going to follow it up.”

“Chief wants to talk.”

“Damn.”  She hung up.  She looked at her text message.

_Where are you?_ [Symbol]

She smiled.  He worried about her too much.   _ I’m on my way, Izaya.  I’m fine. _

_ There was another Slasher attack. _

_ I know.  The station wants me there. _

_ Don’t go. _

She rolled her eyes and headed to the station.  She’d show up real quick to get yelled at and then go back home.

When she got to the doors, she saw Izaya loitering there.  She narrowed her eyes at him.  “What are you doing?”

“I knew you’d ignore me.”  He commented.

“How’d you get here so quick?”  She asked.

He looked away as if she hadn’t asked a question.

Inside the station was a disaster.  Phone calls were rolling in, people were screaming; the whole thing was total chaos.

 Kinnosuke marched right up to her, phone with a screaming person, in his hand.  He snarled, “I thought I told you to solve this damn case!”

“I’m working on it.”  She stated calmly.

“Why don’t you even have any suspects yet!?”  He snapped.

“There’s no clues.  I think there’s a group of people in on it.” Carol stated.  “Everyone says it’s a person with red eyes but the physical identification is different each time.”

“You have red eyes.”

Carol gaped.  Kinnosuke didn’t look away.  “How dare you – “

“Have you slashed anyone recently, Carolynn?”

“Are you accusing me!?”

“Yes I am!”

“I know a better way of solving this.”  Someone said.

They both turned to see a man standing in the corner.  It was a cop, like them.  

But his eyes were red.


	50. Carolynn; A Girl Attacked

The whispers grew so loudly in her mind that she nearly succumbed to them.  Was it Saika again?

When the officer pulled out a knife, it answered her question.  The whole station went quiet.

“Are you the Slasher?”  One of the officers asked.

“I found you…”  The guy with the knife said.

Carol’s eyes widened.

_ I’d been looking for you since the biker got in the way.  I found out you worked here.  I was so happy that I just wanted to cut you up. _

Carol couldn’t tell if the voice was in her mind or coming from the person’s mouth.

“Seriously?”  Carol asked.  “What do you want from me!?”

_ Love, love, love, love, love!  I want your love!! _

Several officers backed up.  “What a freak…”

“I’ve known him.  I didn’t know he was so…like this?”

“I’m getting the fuck out of here.”

Suddenly everyone was running and screaming, pushing each other and desks out of their way.  Carol tried shouting to them to calm down , but they were too frantic.  Even Kinnosuke was gone.  Carol started to make her way out when someone smashed into her from behind, ramming right into her bad shoulder.

She gasped and collapsed to the ground.  The pain was throbbing so bad that her whole world started to tip the wrong direction.  She fell back against one of the upturned desks.  What a bunch of assholes.

Carol leaned her head back, trying to catch her breath.  She had to reorient herself or she would be – 

She looked over as the guy with the knife walked up.  He was chuckling.  “Finally, I can love you…”

She reached for her gun.  There wasn’t anything there.  Her eyes widened.  Her gun had fallen out in the street the last time she was attacked.  She was wide open and defenseless.

But before the guy could raise the knife to swipe it at her, an object whizzed through the air, knocking that same blade out of his hand.  A pocket knife fell to Carol’s feet.  She looked over to see Izaya at the door.

His eyes were narrowed sharply.   “You look like you have a problem.  Care to take it up with me?”

The Slasher glared at him and picked up his knife.  Izaya pulled out another.  “Is that a yes?”

The Slasher started swinging his knife and Carol scooted away from him.  Izaya dove and blocked the knife.  He was able to rip it right out  of his hand and he kicked the guy backwards.  He flipped over the desk and landed face down.

Izaya glanced at her.  “You okay, Angel?”

Carol nodded.  “Thanks, Izaya.”

“Get out of here.  Go back home.  I’ll make sure these guys stay away permanently.”

Carol slowly got to her feet.  “Don’t hurt him.  He’s one of our officers…he’s under Saika’s control.”  As she spoke, she heard Saika protesting.  “It isn’t his fault and hurting him won’t do  any good.”

Izaya glared at her.  “You’re joking, right?  He just attacked you.  It doesn’t matter what the provocation or the motive is.  He has to be – “

“Please, Izaya.  If you can’t do it, then just don’t  fight him!  I don’t want any more innocent lives thrown away because of this!”  Carol screeched softly.  “Saika is my fight.”

Izaya sighed.  “Then how do you propose we stop him?  It looks like Saika wants to cut you so bad, it doesn’t care this time about others getting involved.”

“I noticed.  I don’t know.” Carol confessed, holding her shoulder and panting.  It was bleeding again.  Saika’s voice was getting louder and louder.

Izaya’s shoulders slumped.  “Angel…you’re admirable sense of selflessness makes everything else so much harder…”  When the guy ran at him again, Izaya danced easily around him and wrapped his arms around, yanking him down and stabbed a knife through his sleeves, keeping the guy pinned.  He then trotted back to Carol.  “Shall we take our leave now?”

Carol nodded weakly.  Izaya frowned.  “Is your shoulder bothering you?”

She looked down.  “A little bit.”  She gasped when his arms slipped around her thighs and he lifted her up gently.  He walked back home.  Carol relaxed against him.  “I’m really glad you were there, Izaya.”

“Me too.”  He responded.

Huh.  She hadn’t noticed until that moment.  How  had she missed it?  Somewhere a long the lines, his voice had changed.  It was different from the voice that teased her in the subway station.  It was warm and compassionate.  A voice that made her feel safe and secure – untouchable.

She kissed the side of his face.  “Izaya…”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”  She whispered softly.

He looked at her in a way that sent her heart racing.  Her whole body heated up as he whispered back, “I love you, too.  Dearly.”

Once back inside, he set her down on the couch and grabbed some stuff for her cut.  She shyly pulled off her shirt so he could treat it.  When he pulled the wrap off, she winced in pain and he said, “Sorry, Angel.”

“I’m okay.”  She assured.  He put some stuff on  it and then rewrapped it .

He patted her thighs.  “There you go,  good  as new.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and teased.  “Not quite.”

“Hm?”  His eyes sparkled with temptation .

She leaned closer so their noses touched.  “You’re supposed to kiss it better.”

He tipped his head and moved so that his lips were close to her shoulder.  They both paused.  Then he kissed her wound as delicately as he could.  The sheer gentleness sent her skin crawling with happiness.  Then he kissed the bare skin of her shoulder and another feeling caused her skin to prickle.  Then slowly he kissed up her neck.  She felt her heart starting to thunder with desire and she closed her eyes, enjoy the soft caress of his lips.

It wasn’t until his lips touched her ear that she finally made the sound she knew he was wanting.  His hot breath tickled her earlobe and then the tease of his teeth made her suck in a sharp breath.  His whispered name came back when she released it.

She felt his hands slide up from her thighs and along her sides.  She never said anything else, but she kept her lips parted so while his lips danced at her ear, her breath and soft sounds fell upon his.  He started to kiss down the curve of her jaw and she lifted her chin to let him.  When he got around, he kissed from her chin to her lips.

The moment their lips connected, she felt like someone had poured gasoline onto the fire.  His arms tightened around her waist and she cupped his cheeks.  She had never thought this would happen.  That their mutual feelings would exist.  Only in her dreams had she ever touched him like this.

But only a moment later, the dream was over.

Izaya’s phone went off.  He pulled away, cursing under his breath.  Carol couldn’t help but smile as he picked up his phone.  “Hello?”

Carol heard Shinra’s voice on the other end of the line.  “Izaya.  Hey, Celty has a question.”

“Does she?”  Izaya asked, his voice bitter.  Carol smirked and crawled over to where he was leaning at the other side of the couch.  His elbow was propped on the arm of the couch and she slipped into his lap.

“Yeah.  She says that she knows you’re pissed at her, but to please hear her out.”

Izaya’s eyes locked on Carol’s watching her every movement.  “Okay…go ahead.”

“Do you know anything about the last Slasher attack?”

Carol slid her hands softly up under his shirt, fingering her way along his stomach and up his chest.  He stared at her hands and she felt him tensing under her.  It took him a moment to respond.  “Oh, uh, the one at the Station?”

“She doesn’t know about the one at the Station.  Is Carol okay?”

Carol softly kissed along the collar of his shirt and then slowly up his neck.

His voice was starting to catch.  “Y-yeah.  Yes.  She’s just…fine.”

“What happened?”

Izaya closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.  “The slasher…”  Carol smiled against his skin and then worked her hands along his torso, massaging warmly.  She nipped right above his collarbone and then licked hotly up his neck, under his ear, the one free of the phone.  Izaya let out a breath.  “Shi – how important is this?  Can it wait?”

“Important!?  We’re talking about the Slasher here!”

“I know.”  Izaya gulped when Carol turned her blazing eyes back on him.  She kissed his chin and then kissed back down his neck, resting her body against his so he could feel the shape of her body with his own.   Carol had started to reach up to push the phone away.  She should sympathize for him.  He was really trying to take them seriously, but she wasn’t letting him.  She had her own priorities.  But as she pushed the phone away and Izaya turned his lips to catch hers, Shinra said something that made her hesitate.

“Listen Izaya, Celty heard something about a reporter being stabbed outside of his home.  Apparently it was one she talked to about doing a story on Shizuo Heiwajima.”

“What!?” Carol gasped suddenly.

Suddenly…

…the world took on a whole new perspective for Carolynn.


	51. Carolynn; A Girl Hunting

“It was another job by the Slasher.”  Shinra said.

Izaya tipped his head.  “What’s wrong, Angel?”

It all came together in that one moment.

The Slasher’s first appearance.

The attack on her.

Then Celty.

Anri.

Those girls.

Shizuo.

That reporter.

The Dollars.

Carol stopped breathing.  The slasher wasn’t targeting Anri.  Anri was just another victim.  No.  The Slasher wanted her.  It was attacking the people around her and trying to drive  her into a corner.  That’s why  there were so many attacks pointed to her.

She was so dumb!  How could she not see it?

Carol looked at Izaya with wide eyes.  “Will you check the chat, please?”

“Easy now, Angel.”  He cooed softly.  “Let’s not jump – “

“Please, Izaya, now!”  She begged, taking his phone from him.  “Shinra, will you ask Celty to find Belle and Shizuo?”

Once Celty agreed and Carol got off the phone, she waited on Izaya to get on the chatroom.

“If it’s here then - ,” Izaya started.

Carol shook her head.  “I’m not making promises.”  She went to take the mouse from him but he caught her arm.  “Let go, Izaya.”

“No.  Not until you promise me.”  Izaya ordered, his eyes full and desperate.

Carol looked down.  “I can’t.  If someone’s in trouble.  It’s either going to be Anri or Shizuo and I can’t let them get hurt.”

“If it’s Shizu-chan, then he’ll be fine.”  Izaya assured, letting her go so he could move the mouse.

“But if it’s not … ”  Carol protested, moving his hand on the mouse to click the chat button.

Saika was filling up the box.

_ Love love love love want love cut cut love cut want need mother love want love _

_ Mother.  Love. _

Carol trembled beside him.  This was bad.

Izaya got another phone call.  It was from Shinra.  Izaya reached to pick it up but Carol beat him to it.  He watched her intensely as she spoke quickly.  “What’d you find?”

“Celty got a hold of Shizuo.  But he’s been looking for Belle for about an hour.  He tried to get a hold of her, but she hasn’t been answering her phone .  If we find out any more then I’ll – “

Carol dropped the phone, eyes wide.

“Carol?”  Izaya asked, standing up.

“My sister…” She barely breathed.

His eyes widened as well.  When she turned to yank on her shoes, she was surprised to find that he didn’t try to stop her.  His eyes were just wide as though he had been smacked in the face.  She didn’t waste time running out the door before he came to his senses.

Why did he react that way?

Saika was screaming in her mind.

_ Don’t you want to come find me?  Let’s play.  So I can love you. _

Carol stopped and shouted out.  “Yes!  I want to find you dammit!  Where the hell are you?!”

She jumped when a bike pulled up and stopped suddenly.  Carol stared at Celty in shock.  Celty typed:  _ Why are you screaming at nothing? _

Carol panted.  “Call me crazy.  I can hear Saika.”

_ You were stabbed by her.  Maybe she’s trying to possess you? _

Carol shook her head.  “I was hearing her voice long before I was stabbed. ”  She grabbed Celty’s shoulders.  “But listen to me, that’s not the point right now.  Everyone that has been attacked…has had some connection to me…I think…I think this is revolving around me.”

_ Are you sure?  You’re not just paranoid? _

Carol felt her eyes watering.  “Celty, Belle is missing.”

She froze and typed.   _ You think the Slasher has gotten to her. _

Carol nodded.

Celty climbed back on her bike and held her hand up.  A darkness wrapped around her head and formed a helmet.  She tipped her head and in Carol’s mind, she heard  _ Get on. _

Carol’s eyes widened.  It was almost like the way Saika spoke to her.  She got on behind Celty like she was ordered to and she raced down the highway.  Over the roar of the wind, Carol shouted, “Saika’s voice gets louder the closer we get to her, so follow my directions, okay?”

Celty nodded and lowered herself to the bike.  It let out a loud neigh and they shot down even faster.

Carol he ld tight.

She closed her eyes and begged for her sister to please be safe.  She couldn’t live without her sister.

_ Will you find me?  Come on and start the game.  Let’s play! _

Carol ordered Celty to go to the right.  They were headed back to the construction zone.  The same place Anri was attacked twice.  Her heart halted in her chest.  Was it Anri again?  Why did they keep going after her?!  Why was she so important to them?

As they came off the ramp, ahead, they saw what they were looking for.  The Slasher was facing Anri.  The Slasher raised his hand, a huge butcher knife in it.  When he went to swing it down on her, a van came out of nowhere and plowed right into him.

Celty slid to a stop and Carol gasped.  “Anri!”

Anri looked at her with wide eyes.  “Carolynn?”

Carol jumped off the bike and rushed to her.  “Are you okay?”

“Just scared.  This is why only way home…but every time now…” Anri whispered, her voice shaking.

The guys in the van climbed out.  The one with the hat looked at her curiously.  “You’re that girl…the one that hangs out with Izaya, right?”

“Yes.  You’re…Dotachin, right?”  Carol asked.

“No no.  That’s just a nickname.  I’m –  “ He  began.

The girl gasped.  “Dotachin!  Look!  He’s getting back up!”

The guy with long hair cursed.  “We hit him with a god damn van!”

“Hit him again!”  Dotachin ordered.

Celty put her hand up and ran over to the guy.  She pulled her scythe out of the air and swung, cutting through the guy.  He fell limp, like he’d gone to sleep.  She typed to them:  _ He should be out for a while.  If we take the knife, it should be okay. _

Carol started to pick it up when Celty stopped her.   _ You may not be possessed yet, but this could be the final straw. _

Carol nodded and let Celty pick it up with the darkness.  She placed it on her bike and typed.   _ Now what? _

Dotachin put his hands in his pockets.  “We should take the girl to the cops.”

“Hey.  I am one.”  Carol contradicted.  “This is my territory.  This won’t do us any good.  There’s more than one slasher.”

“Huh?”  Dotachin gaped.

Celty typed:   _ There’s a sword possessing people.  It’s causing people to slash others.  But there’s several of them.  We have to find the leader…or the mother. _

Carol looked at her suspiciously.  “How do you know all this?”

_ Izaya told me some stuff, but Shinra filled in the rest.  This is just a theory we have anyway.  We need to find the one who slashed all the others. _

“How do we do that?”

_ I have an idea.  The other day, online, a person named Saika kept repeating Shizuo’s name over and over.  Maybe we could lure the mother out using him. _

“Use Shizuo as bait?  That’s hilarious.”

_ It’s the only thing we’ve got. _

Carol nodded okay.  “Let’s get Anri home.”

When they dropped Anri off, she paused at her door and looked back at them, curiously asking, “What do you guys plan to do about the Slasher?”

“Nothing…until we find Shizuo and Belle.”  Carol explained.  “If we learn anything, we’ll let you know first, alright?”

“Thank you.”  Anri bowed a bit.

Celty typed:  _ Stay safe until you hear from us.  We’ll get this Slasher. _

Carol and Celty sped off.  As they roared down the road, she heard Celty’s voice in her mind.   _ Do you still hear Saika? _

Carol nodded.  “Yes, I do.”

_ Can you tell me what direction I need to go? _

Carol shook her head.  “I can’t.  She’s not changing tones.  It’s almost like…she’s all around us.”

Celty slammed to a stop.

_ Then that means… _


	52. Izaya; A Losing Boy

Izaya walked down the streets, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

He had everything carefully planned out.

But now suddenly it seemed to be spiraling out of his control.

His one single miscalculation could potentially cost him everything.  Now because of it, Carol was running head first into danger.

And, like always, it was his fault.

“So, if you know my secrets, it’s only fair that I know yours, right?”

Izaya paused and turned.

Belle glared at him at the corner of the street.

Izaya held his hands up and chuckled.  “What are you talking about?  I don’t have any fancy secrets like you do.”

“Oh yeah?”  Belle walked towards him, her hands clenched at her hips.  “Where should I start?  Oh I know.  How about the tension between the yellow scarves and the dollars?  Or the reason the yellow scarves even still exist.  Or the reason they’re so violent?  All of which is your fault.  Does Carol know?  I’m guessing not.  Your little coward ass hasn’t told her a thing.”

Izaya frowned suddenly.  “Is there a reason you’re acting so vicious towards me right now?”

“Your scheme.  Whatever it is and whyever you’re doing it…” Belle stopped.  “If you get my sister hurt in the process…”

“I’m trying to keep her out of it, but she keeps digging back.”  Izaya retorted.

Belle grabbed his collar and pushed him against the wall.  “Then why do we keep playing this game?  Why don’t you just stop interfering and antagonizing everyone?  The more enemies you make, the more danger she’ll be in.”

“Don’t you think I already know this?”  Izaya asked coolly.

“THEN WHY DOESN’T IT BOTHER YOU!” Belle screeched, throwing him down.  “You’re supposed to care about her!  When she’s in danger, it’s your job to protect her, dumbass!”

He didn’t say anything as he sat up.  He knew it all too well.  He had always known what his job was.  And he’d always failed at doing it.  He wanted to give her everything she deserved; his pride and his goals kept him from being what she needed.

Some days, he wished he had the strength to let her go.  That way, she could be free…and happy.

But he was just too selfish.

As he stood up, Belle snapped.  “The Slasher is targeting her.  One of Saika’s children came at me, announcing that the mother craved her blood.”

Izaya paused and then his eyes narrowed.  He could ask how she knew about Saika, but, because he knew her secrets, he in turn, knew that she wasn’t oblivious.  “That was never my intention.”

“But you admit that you did cause it.”  Belle’s knuckles turned white as she stood there, glaring at him in rage.

He started to respond with something when he was blindsided by a lamp post and slammed into a building.  His whole body hurt from the impact but he groaned and sat up.

Shizuo stood there, glaring as well.  Belle turned to him.  “Shizu-kun?  What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you.  I was scared the Slasher might have gotten you.”  Shizuo commented.  “I thought it was after you.”

“Not me.”  Belle contradicted.  “Carolynn.”  Her angry eyes turned back on Izaya.  “Speaking of, where is my sister?”

“I don’t know.  She got a call that you were missing and took off.  I’ve been trying to find her, but – “

“Oh you were trying real fucking hard.  You were just prancing along the side walk like a little –  “ Belle  began.

Shizuo put his hand on her shoulder.  “Don’t waste your breath on this rat.  Go find Carolynn while I knock some sense into him.”

Belle nodded and took off.

He sighed.  It was a bad day.

He was worried about Carol though.  Chances were, she probably had found the Slasher.  Terrible thoughts of what could happen to her came to his mind and he shuddered.  “Sorry, Shizu-chan, I really don’t have time for – “

Shizuo walked over and started ripping up the guardrail from where it was attached to the road.

Izaya’s eyes widened.  “Seriously?”  He pulled out his knife

Shizuo laughed and started to swing the guard rail at him when a black object flew between them.

Celty slid to a stop.

Carol was on the bike as well.

He felt like ten thousand pounds had been lifted off his chest.  “Carol.”

She pulled off the black helmet, but she didn’t even look at him.  “Shizuo, we need your help.”

“Huh?”  Shizuo asked.  “With what?”

Celty pulled out her phone and showed it to him.  From here, he could clearly see it was the chat log, with Saika going nuts again.

“What the hell is this?”  Shizuo asked.  “Is this part of your plan, too?”

Izaya fanned his hand nonchalantly.  “No way.  I told you, it’s got nothing to do with me.”

Carol stepped forward.  “We don’t have time to argue this.  Shizuo, we need you to go to central park.  Besides me, right now, Saika’s obsessed with you.  If we could lure them to – “

“What’s a Saika?”  Shizuo asked.

Celty typed:   _ The Slasher _ .

“Me?  Why?”  Shizuo pressed.

Celty shrugged.   _ Don’t know why.  Just know that it’s true.  I hate to use you as bait, but this is the only thing we’ve got right now. _

“No it’s fine.”  Shizuo responded.

Carol told them.  “You guys go on ahead, I’ll call the station and tell them what’s happening and catch up.”

Celty nodded as she and Shizuo climbed onto her bike.

Last minute, Carol asked, “Shizuo, did you find my sister?”

“Yeah, she’s fine.  Looking for you, actually.”  He answered before the two of them sped off.

Izaya walked up to Carol.  “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Save it, Izaya.”  She ordered, sharply while dialing her phone.  “Say, are you the one spreading the rumors that the Slasher is with the Dollars?”

He paused, caught off guard by her question.  “Why?”

Her eyes narrowed.  “Do you know who the real Slasher is?”

He stiffened.  When had she become so perceptive?  He thought back, covering his tracks, he didn’t remember any point in which he might have given himself up.

“I’m taking your silence as a yes.”  Carol stated, cursing when no one picked up the phone.  “So…you do have something to do with the Slasher.”

Again, he didn’t say anything.

Carol typed something and then put her phone away.  Her voice was a solid and cold as a rock when she said, “I can forgive you for a lot of things, Izaya.  I thought that my sister may have been dragged into this.  Hurt her…in anyway…and I could never look at you again.  My  sister means everything to me.  If your stupid game throws her into the fire too, then I won’t ever hesitate again.  I will lock you up if it means protecting her.”

He frowned deeply.  “Your words are pretty harsh.  You really mean them?”

“Yes.  I do.”  She stated, never breaking eye contact.

He looked down a minute.  “I thought I was gaining ground.”  He forced a fake smile.  “But I guess I’ll just never be good enough.”

Carol whispered, “I’m no good at pretending I don’t love you.  But I can still throw you in jail.  I love my sister and my friends as well.  You don’t get special treatment.  And you don’t get to sacrifice them.”

He looked down, not saying anything.

“The game has gone too far once people start getting hurt.  This Slasher thing should have stopped.”

“It’s not like I’m the Slasher.”  Izaya retorted, unable to make eye contact with her again.  When she used this tone of voice, it made him feel like the silly child again.  The one that needed to be scolded and was always doing wrong.  Guess that really was him.  “I’m not the only bag guy here.”

The shell of authority broke around her and a sympathetic frown broke through.  “That’s not what I’m trying to say, Izaya.  I just want to protect everyone.”

“But you’re willing to sacrifice yourself to do so.”  He countered.  “And that’s the one thing I’m not willing to sacrifice: you.”

She looked at him seriously a long time.

But when the station called back, she was back to business.


	53. Carolynn; A Girl And The Slasher

She hung up on the officer.  They would be heading to  central park  as fast as they could and knew that Shizuo wasn’t to be arrested for anything that happened.  The last piece of the puzzle would be to find the mother somewhere there at the park.

She started off when Izaya grabbed her wrist.  She looked at him when he asked, “Are you seriously going there?”

“They’re more preoccupied with Shizuo than me.”  Carol argued.  “And it’s my job to protect them.  I have to make sure that none of them die.”

“Stop.”  Izaya turned her back to face him.  “Yes, you’re a cop but you take it too far.  It’s not your job.  You’re a detective – not a law enforcement.”

Carol looked down and a sweep of her hair fell over her eyes.  “I just want to help people.  That’s all…”

“Car-car…”

She tried to pull her hands away.  “The Slasher case is mine and I have to see it through!”

She was caught off guard when she felt his lips against hers.  They were soft and gentle, but there was a determined strength to them.  He let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her lower waist and pulled her as close to him as he could.

Instinctively, her own arms went around his neck and she kissed him back a little harder.  After the feeling of just a moment, she pulled her lips back and he whispered, “You’re not going alone.”

“Fine…”  She breathed.

He let her go and took her hand.  He stared at her pale fingers like they were something foreign to him.  She didn’t say anything, but there was definitely something bothering him.  She raced towards Central park with Izaya in tow.

It was easy to find Celty and Shizuo in the crowd of red-eyed lunatics.

Shizuo glared at Izaya, but for once, didn’t go right for him.  Celty turned to Carolynn and typed:  _ The mother isn’t here.  That girl who was cut a few days ago is doing all of the talking. _

Carol’s eyes narrowed.  “If the mother isn’t here, where is she?”

Celty shook her head.   _ I have no clue _ .

Carol stiffened.

_ You’re so clueless. _

Carol recognized Saika’s voice in her head.

_ Can’t you find me?  Or will I kill your little friend first? _

Suddenly, she felt clammy and sick.  Her little friend.  The real Saika had either found Belle or Anri.

_ Come on.  I only want to play this game with you. _

Around her, several of the Slashers started attacking.  Shizuo attacked most of them but Izaya helped out with a couple.

Celty was honed in on her.   _ Carol, what’s wrong? _

She couldn’t breathe.  She’d messed up again.  Determined that the mother would be here, she’d forgotten that this could easily have been the most perfect distraction.  She shook her head and turned, running straight through the crowd.

From over her shoulder, she heard Izaya call her name.

She felt a few cuts on her arms as she ran, but it was nothing.  Nothing to the pain welling inside of her as she thought about what could happen to Belle or Anri.

_ That’s right…come and get me. _

She broke into a free run down the street and around the corner.  Her sleeves were practically falling off her shoulders and whipping in the wind.  Did she even have her weapons?  She didn’t remember.  It didn’t matter.

She ran right by Belle on the street.  That wasn’t where the Slasher was.

Her steps didn’t falter.

Even when Belle called her name.

She’d been through this before.

This crazy running.

This fight against time.

But this time, would be the last.

What Carol found, startled her.  There was a girl with long brown hair.  A man that she recognized as a teacher from her school and Anri.   The girl with the long brown hair charged at Anri.

Her eyes were glowing bright red.

_ Here I am! _

Carol dove between, catching the girl’s wrist.  She spun, flipping the girl over her shoulder and on her back.  In the same motion, she was able to yank the knife out of her hand.  The girl stared up at her, eyes wide in horror.  “Who are you?”

“Are you the real one?  Are you the mother?”  Carol demanded.

The girl laughed and got back to her feet.  Carol pulled Anri around behind her.  Anri said nothing.  The girl announced.  “Yes.  I am the mother.  And with Saika as my blade, I plan to one day love and control the entire human race.”

“You’re sick.”  Carol snarled and looked at the knife in her hand.  “This isn’t Saika.”

“No.  Saika possesses it.  Saika lives inside me.”  The girl informed.

“Who are you?”  Carol demanded.

“Haruna Niwakawa.”  She explained.

“Oh.”  Carol looked over at the guy trembling on the ground.  “Then this is that teacher.  The one you had the affair with.  We overlooked it and had you transferred.  Who knew that it would prove to be the student we needed to be more wary of.”  When Carol turned back to her, Haruna was coming at her again with another blade.  Carol barely blocked it with the one she’d taken from her.

“Dammit.”  Carol cursed as Haruna pulled back and took another swing.

Carol pushed Anri back each time she had to take a step away until finally Anri was moving back as well.  Each slash came faster and  more wild  than the last, but after only a couple moments, it was predictable.

They clashed in midair and Haruna seethed, “Saika tells me that she’s interested in you.  That she loves you dearly.  But not cause she wants to possess you.”

“What, then why?”  Carol hissed.

“She loves you…because you’re like her.”  Haruna shouted, knocking the knife out of Carol’s shocked hand.

Her eyes widened and she breathed, “Like her?  What does that mean?”

Haruna took her moment and went to thrust her knife into Carol but she was blocked by another weapon.  This one was a long sword.  A katana.

Still trembling, Carol looked over her shoulder to see that it was Anri holding the weapon.  Her eyes were glowing bright red as well.

Her breath caught in her throat as Anri stated, “ Haruna, you understand nothing.  You don’t know Saika’s true wish.  You’re not the mother.  Your blade is just another child of mine.  The real Saika is here, in my hand.”

The real Saika was close to her neck, protecting her from the child of Saika, close to her heart.  In her mind, both of them were enemies, but in her heart, she knew that the real Saika…was familiar to her.

“Anri…this whole time…?”  Carol breathed.

“I’m sorry that I lied to you.”  Anri whispered.  “But it was necessary.  I hope you understand.”

“I do.”  Carol confessed.  “I just wish…you would’ve felt safe in letting me know.”

“Now you do.”  Anri whispered.

Both blades started to move and for a split second, her heart stopped.  One blade caught her collarbone, she wasn’t sure which it was, but then both of th em rebounded off each other and Carol jumped out of the line of fire.

For several minutes the two of them fought each other.  But when Anri’s blade was deflected, she let Haruna slash her repeatedly.  Carol charged Haruna and yanked her back.  Her blade whipped around, catching Carol’s face but she pinned Haruna to the ground.  “Enough!”

Haruna’s blade flew out of her hand.

Behind her , Anri slid her sword towards Haruna.  “Haruna Niwakawa, please listen to what Saika whispers to me.  Understand what her feelings tell me.”

Haruna gasped and trembled.

Elsewhere, someone screamed to them.  They all looked over.  Belle stood there, awestruck.  “Carolynn Sarah Selph!  What happened to you!?”

Anri put Saika away.   Haruna had collapsed unconscious on the ground.   “You should probably go to the hospital.”

Carol shook her head and stood up.  “No, no.  I’ll call Kinnosuke and get some cops here.  We’ll turn in Haruna as the Slasher so everyone can live peacefully.  Knowing the Slasher is gone.”

Anri nodded in agreement.  “Goodnight, Carolynn.”


	54. Carolynn; A Girl Enraged

Officers were there and had taken care of everything so Carol was able to go to the hospital without any issues.  Of course Belle was over her shoulder, screaming at her, the whole time.  

When she got out of the hospital, Belle stopped her.  “Are you sure you’re okay?  You’re all cut up.”

Carol held up her hands.  “I’m fine.  Really.”

Belle’s gaze softened and she whispered, “Where are you going?”

“Home.  I’m tired.”  Carol answered, confused by the intensity of her voice.

“ Your  home…or back to Izaya’s?”  Belle pressed.

“Well, all my stuff is at his place.” Carol answered.  “Why?  What’s up with you?”

Belle looked down and away.  “Nothing.”

Carol stared after her friend as she walked away.

** “She loves you…because you’re like her.” **

Carol remembered then.  That secret that was being kept from her.  The secret her sister had never shared with her.  The secret that even Izaya knew.

She’d forgotten about it.  Until that moment.

How was she like it?  Like Saika?

She turned and made her way down the street, back to Izaya’s. 

He was probably worried sick.

Carol was shocked when she saw Izaya heading back to his home as well.  His fur hoodie gave him away.  She could see that he was on the phone.  She snuck up behind him and was prepared to pounce when his words stopped her.

“Most people would probably attribute these recent events to coincidences.  But you see, I sent Nasugima to that girl’s house at that hour of the night.  That poor sucker was truly an idiot.  He could’ve found Anri Sonohara’s address just by peeking at his class roster.  You see, once you accept they exist, the hard part is over.  They’re suddenly everywhere.  Demonic blades, fairies, there’s no end.  Actually, the only real coincidence, was when Nasugima ran off with my cash.  He owed some debts so he tried getting the money by threatening the parents of Haruna Niwakawa, the girl who had been stalking him at school.   The loan-sharks he owed money to were the Awakusu.  So they sent him to me so I could dig up a little dirt on the girl’s  family.  He took the bait, hook-line-and-sinker.  I knew Haruna was Saika, or at least a variation.  I had planned to corner him and say something like ‘how dare you steal my money’.  I was going to threaten him and use Haruna.  But that’s when the real Saika, the original, came onto the scene.  So then, what became of Nasugima, you ask?  He tried to steal some money from Shizuo Heiwajima.  My personal preference would have been for Shizuo to have died.  But, whatever.  Everything still worked out the way I wanted them to.”  Izaya paused, listening to the person on the other end of the line.  “What was I after?  This city has been broken down into three factions.  The Dollars, the Yellow Scarves, and the army of that demonic blade.  And the first to have been infiltrated by Saika bring in spies to both camps.  To be honest, I’d have been fine with Haruna Niwakawa, just so long as that army of the damned came with her.  But that Anri Sonohara is more interesting.  I’m just creating sparks right now.  And that’s fine because from here things will begin to smolder and smoke all on their own.”  

Carol stood there behind him, eyes wide.

Unbelievable.

She grabbed the back of his hoodie and yanked him back before he even knew what was coming.  She ripped the phone from his hand and threw it.  “Is this some kind of joke!?”

His eyes were wide.  “C-carolynn?”

She pushed him against the wall.  “You’ve known!?  About everything?  And you even pressured it to happen!?  You didn’t tell me anything! Even when I asked for your help!  All of these Slasher attacks could have been stopped a long time ago!”

“Calm down.  You’re all cut up and getting worked up is only going to – “

Carol slapped him across the face hard enough that he  slid along the wall a couple steps .

She was breathing heavy.  “I trusted you.   And once again you made a fucking fool out of me.  Peoples’ lives aren’t just some game, god dammit!  What is wrong with you!?  I knew you had something to do with this, but I didn’t know you had pretty much orchestrated the whole thing.  Was my sister part of your scheme, too, huh?  Are you willing to sacrifice her as well?”

He didn’t say anything, just stood there, holding his face.

“Someone could have died!”  Carol screamed.  “And you don’t care at all!  I’m so fucking sick of you!  I hate you so much right now.”  She turned and started walking away.  “I hope that damn game ends how you want it to.”

A hesitant question came back.  “What about your stuff…?”

“Keep it.  I don’t even want to go back to your place to get it.”  She snapped, marching on.

She called in sick for both school and work the next day.

She lay on her back, staring at her ceiling until at least noon.

Three missed calls.  Four unread text messages.  A mess of a room.  Three ignored doorbells.

God she felt like shit.

The tears streaking down her face didn’t help.

Celty’s words had made her believe…and hope, too easily.  

Izaya hadn’t changed at all.

The fourth doorbell finally got her out of bed.  She reluctantly answered the door.  It was Celty.  She had a bag in her hands.

_ Can we talk? _

Carol opened the door on up.  “Sorry, my place is a mess.  I haven’t been here for…ever.”

_ I kind of thought you’d pretty much moved in with Izaya.  Why did you come back so suddenly? _

Carol sat at her table.  “That’s why you’re here, right?  Izaya asked you to.”

_ He asked me to bring your stuff back. _

For some reason, just thinking about him made fresh tears come back.  She didn’t want to hate him.  But she couldn’t just…let him do what he pleased.

_ Carol, please talk to me. _

Now she was all-out crying.  “He had planned everything.  He knew about everything.  Even the identities of the Slashers.  But he told me nothing.  He just played along and made a fool out of me the whole time.  He let all of those people get hurt.  Just so he could start some warzone.  It’s only going to make my life harder.  He just casually brushed it off.  What I’m going through means nothing to him.”   She turned on Celty.  “And both he and my sister are hiding something from me!”

Celty just sat there, doing nothing.  She must have been thinking over what to tell her.  Finally she did.   _ You know Izaya better than anyone else. _

“Do I?”

_ But I think you miss the most obvious thing about him. _

Carol sighed.  “Like what?”

_ Just how strong his love for you is.  Everything – no matter how stupid – that boy does, has something to do with protecting you or getting something for you.  He’s obsessed with you.  I think that’s why he didn’t tell you about the Slasher.  He wanted to avoid getting you involved.   _ _ He’s really messed up right now.  He didn’t even sound like himself on the phone.  He really does love you, he’s just terrible at showing it. _

“I don’t care.”

_ Carolynn… _

“I asked him for help…and he promised that he would.  And he didn’t.  He lied to me.  He stabbed me in the back.”  She gripped her shirt.  “And my heart hurts so bad right now I can’t breathe…”

Celty walked around the table and hugged Carolynn tight.  In Carol’s mind, she heard  _ it’s going to be alright. _


	55. Carolynn; A Girl Made Of Butter

That night, she got about five text messages.

_ Did Celty bring your stuff? _

_ Are you okay? _

_ Please talk to me. _

_I  miss_ _you, Angel._ [Symbol]

_ Please. _

Carol sighed and sent a response.

_ Leave me alone. _

The response made her heart skip.

_ I can’t.  I can’t stop thinking about you. _

Carol’s eyes narrowed and, with her head still face down in her pillow, she angrily sent back,  _ Then _ _  why weren’t you thinking about me earlier, when I asked for your help with the Slasher?  You weren’t thinking of me then. _

_ Actually, I was.  I just wanted to keep you safe. _

_ I don’t want to hear that!  I’m a cop!  I can handle it. _

_ I know you can.  I can’t.  I can’t stand seeing you hurt.  Or mad at me. _

Carol’s hand tightened on her phone.   _ I’m trying to hate you. _

_ Please don’t.  I messed up. _

_ Big time. _

_ I love you, Carolynn.  Please come back. _

_ On one condition. _

_ Anything. _

_ The game ends now.  You’re done. _

_ Okay. _

Carol sat up suddenly, shocked.  She typed,  _ Do you mean that? _

_ Yes.  I just want you back here. _

Carol smirked just a bit as she typed,  _ I don’t feel like getting up right now. _

_ Then I’ll come to you. _

Another smile escaped.   _ You have five minutes or I’m locking the window. _

_ Already half way there. _

_ You never wait until you get an answer. _

_ I know that you can’t resist me, Car-car. _

_ You’re pretty confident in that. _

_ I know you. _

_ I’m still pretty upset with you.  It’ll take a long time for me to forgive you. _

_ Guess I have a lot of sucking up to do. _

_ A lot is putting it mildly. _

She heard her window open.  Soft steps came to her bedroom door and he gently pushed it open, smiling.  “Is it now?”

“Yeah.”

“Your place is so tiny and cramped.”  Izaya commented, taking off his shoes and dropping down beside her.

“It’s better that way.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled against hi m.  How could she ever stay mad  at him?  She was always butter in his hands.

And she knew that he knew it.

She whispered quietly.  “Don’t make me ever regret this again, okay?”

“I never want you to be that upset at me again, Angel.”  He kissed the top of her head and breathed her in.  “I’m done.  For good.”

“Good.”  She tipped her lips up to catch his.  Their kiss was soft at first, but as she lay back, pulling him against her, it wasn’t any more.

It was everything in one.

He gently lay her back, resting her head on the pillow and stroked her hair out of her face.  He pulled the cover up around her, tucking her in with gentle hands.  She watched him the whole time.  The expression that wasn’t at all what it had been so long ago.  The soft, glowing eyes, the warm smile.  Before she knew it, she was touching his face, tracing his lips with her fingertips.

He looked at her curiously.  “Yes, Angel?”

“You knew it, didn’t you?”

“Knew what?”  He asked, guarded.  She could tell that he was scared now to say something to upset her.

“You knew that I could never truly mean that I hated you.  In order to hate someone, you have to love them as well.  I loved you with such a passion, that saying I hated you…it didn’t have any strength.”

Izaya smiled.  “Your voice did crack when you said it.”

“You’ve got me wrapped around your finger, Izaya.”

He leaned over her and kissed her carefully as he could.  “Good.  I don’t want you wrapped around anyone else’s.”

She gripped his hair and held him against her lips for a moment longer.  “I couldn’t ever be as wrapped with someone as I am with you.  You’re too possessive.”

“Trust me, if you had a hold of the most beautiful, kind, loving, intelligent girl as I do…You wouldn’t want anyone else to even look at her.”  His smile started to slip for just a moment.  “It’s a scary feeling, never knowing if you’re doing something that could lose everything.”

She pulled him closer.  “You won’t lose me.”  She pulled up the cover.  “Now come lay down, I’m tired.”

He didn’t waste a second to argue.  He slipped right under the cover and wrapped his arms around her body, all the boyish nervousness gone.  All that mattered – now that he had her – was never letting her go.

Carol watched Izaya curiously as he threw it all away.  She looked at him skeptically.  “Are you sure about this?”

He looked at her as he walked around scooping up the pieces and throwing them in the trash after the board.  “I didn’t think you’d be so hesitant.  I thought you’d encourage this decision.”

Carol’s eyes softened.  “I do…but I know…that you…this game…it’s important to you.”

He looked at the trash, the end of the game board that didn’t quite fit in.  “It is.  Er, was.  But this person once told me…that if you’re always looking to the future, instead of what’s around you in the moment, then you’ll regret everything in the end.”

Carol smiled.  “That person sounds smart.”

“Yeah.  And beautiful.”  He grinned and sat at his desk.

Carol dropped into his lap.  “Careful.  Flattery will get you everywhere.”  She kissed him softly.   Hesitantly, he kissed back.

He asked softly, “This makes you happy, right?”

Carol stroked his face with the back of her fingers, kissing him over and over.  “Yes.  Because we’ll both be safer if this game ends.”

Izaya nodded and leaned his head to her hand.  “I’m sorry that you suffered for so long because of me.”

“Let’s just forget about it.”  Carol suggested.  “And move on.”

His eyes drifted past her.  She looked over and at her bags.  He asked, “So…should we unpack your stuff?”

She shrugged.  “I suppose.”   She gave him a teasing face.  “I mean, if you want me to stay, that is.”

His arms wrapped around her body tightly.  “Of course I do.  In fact, you’re not allowed to leave.  Ever.”

She grinned.  “I have to work, Izaya.”

“No, you don’t.”  He squeezed her tighter.

“I’m not arguing this with you, again.”  Carol groaned, wiggling out of his lap.

His eyes widened and he leapt up after her.  “Don’t go, I wasn’t finished holding you, yet!”

“If it were up to you, you’d never let me go!”  She laughed and danced around the room playfully while he chased her.  She grabbed one of her bags and ran away.  He teasingly cursed her for playing hard to get.

She pushed open a door , laughing as she did.  She was going to shut it in his face before he followed her in but she was caught off guard.  She’d stumbled upon his bedroom.  “Whoa.”

Izaya leaned on the doorframe panting.  “Think it’s a sign that you just happened to come here first?”

She blushed and playfully glared at him.  “Shut up!”  She looked around.  “I’d never seen your room before.”  She drank in the thick, warm, fuzzy carpet, the silken sheets on the bed, and the contemporary style.  Every aspect seemed to draw her in.  She caught herself and teased.  “Huh.  Funny, I think I remember mentioning that I wanted my house to be contemporary.”

“Did you?  I don’t remember.”  He teased back, wrapping his arms around her.  “But this is my room, not yours.”  He nipped her ear.

She blushed brightly and struggled.  “Of course it is!  I was just saying I think you’re trying to make me jealous!”

He scooped her up.  “I think, you’re lying.  You had the idea we’d be sleeping in the same room.”

“No!”  She protested loudly.

“Yes.”

“Shut up!”

He laughed and tossed her on the bed.  “Well.  I had that same idea.”

She started to yell at him for so casually throwing her when she sank into the mattress.  Her face flushed and her heart started to race when she realized just what he’d said.  Her fingers fiddled with the soft black cover.  “So…you did do this on purpose.”

Izaya fanned his hands.  “You think too much, Angel.”

Carol blushed brightly.  “Izaya.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

He smiled.  “I love you, too.”


	56. Izaya; A Boy Waking Up

A lot had happened in those few days of the consistent Slasher attacks.  But again, he’d brought it on himself.

The  only part he truly regretted was Carol’s involvement.  And how much she’d suffered for it.  If she’d never become a cop, it wouldn’t be an issue.  But he had to admit, he was the driving force behind it.

Now he felt like he had a new motive.  Or maybe even a new perspective on life.

After nearly losing her, he understood now…

The future didn’t matter if he couldn’t have this time with her.

When she’d texted him that day, saying she’d come back under one condition, he knew what she was going to ask.  He was ready for it.  The whole time, maybe he was just waiting for her to finally order him.

A reason to quit.  That’s what he’d really needed.

His future with her was important, yes.  But now was even more important.

He finally realized that.  

If only it hadn’t taken him so damn long…

He stared up at the ceiling as if it would have the answers.  Of course, it didn’t.  Rolling onto his side, he looked at the back of her vivid crimson hair.  He reached out and gently ran his hands through it.  She shifted a bit, but he couldn’t tell if she was awake.  A soft sound escaped her lips.  A sigh of content?  He brought the couple strands of hair to his lips and kissed them.

He went to pull her closer when a loud buzzing startled him and he withdrew.  She groaned and reached her hand to the bedside table where her phone was going off.  She put it to her ear and muffled, “Hello?”

Even her groggy morning voice was attractive.

The guy on the phone was clearly struggling to pretend to be enthusiastic, “Congratulations on your completed Slasher case, Carolynn.”

“Mhm.”

She wasn’t really enthusiastic either.

Izaya couldn’t help it anymore.  He scooted over to her and rested his chin on her shoulder, listening to their conversation while his hand softly rubbed up and down her side.

“Now everyone can sleep with a peace of mind and blah blah blah, all that other bullshit the old chief told me to tell you for him.”

“Thanks for putting your time and effort into relaying the message.  Much appreciated.”

“Yeah, I know I’m a wonderful person.”

Izaya gritted his teeth.  “I want to kill him.”

She playfully swatted his cheek, telling him to shut up.  She asked, “Is that all?”

“No.  I wanted to remind you that you still have other cases to attend to.  Your primary focus now is the color gangs.”

“I know.”

“Then don’t make me remind you again.”  He hung up.

Izaya groaned when Carol tossed the phone and sat up, rubbing her face.  “That guy is a total douche bag.”  He commented, his eyes following the slender curve of her back.  Unfortunately, it was covered by her black tank top.

“I know.  Hopefully I don’t have to deal with him much longer.”  Carol told him, starting to climb out of bed.

“Why, are you quitting?”  Izaya asked, his excitement soaring through the roof.

She finally turned her gaze on him over her shoulder.  A few strands of hair falling in her face.  “No.  Izaya.  I’ll be taking his place soon.”

His eyes widened and he sat up on his elbows.  “Seriously?”

She got on off the bed.  “Yeah.  That’s why I’ve been working so hard.  I want him out of there.  That guy doesn’t give a shit about anything but his reputation.”

“So you just have to complete the color gang case?”  Izaya asked, sitting up.  He bit his lip when he watched her go to the closet where they’d just recently unpacked all of her clothes.  She pulled out the school uniform.  His throat swelled up suddenly.  “What do you have to do?”

“Just figure out who the leader of the Yellow Scarves is.”  Carol answered.

Izaya froze.  That was all?  Just that and then that guy would be out of her hair forever.  He knew the answer to her question already.  But…what would her reaction be?  What would she do if she found out what he’d done?

He mentally shook himself. No.  No more lies.

“About that.  Carolynn…” Izaya muttered, his gaze falling to the black sheets.

“Huh?” Carol asked, pausing halfway through pulling off her shirt.

“The leader of the Yellow Scarves…it’s…”  He swallowed hard.  May as well take the plunge.  “Masoami Kida.”

Carol stared, dumb-founded at him.  “Seriously?”

“Yeah, I…”

“I don’t want to know.”  Carol cut him off, catching him by surprise.  He stared at her as she explained herself, “ I know who you were.  I don’t want to know all the terrible things you did.  You’ve agreed to turn over a new leaf, right?”

His gaze softened.  “Yeah.”

“Then it’s okay.  It’s in the past, it doesn’t matter.”

He didn’t deserve her.  She was so much better than anything he could ever ask for.  She was beautiful, unpredictable, forgiving.  She was everything he should never have even hoped for.  “Don’t go to school today.  Stay home with me.”

She laughed as she pulled her tank top over her head.  “No, Izaya.  I have a job.”

Her back was to him and no matter how hard he tried, from his viewpoint on the bed, he could not get a look at her chest before the bra went back on.  She’d been living with him for going on a week now.  But he had yet to actually see her completely naked.  He’d gotten really close…but not quite.  She laughed harder, “Stop being a pervert.”

“Hey, I’m not being a pervert if we’re living together.  It’s called being a boy.”  He teased.

“So living together makes it okay to just…get naked?”

“Hey, I’ll get naked any time you ask.”

She rolled her eyes, but he didn’t miss the tiny millisecond that her eyes swam over his body and twinkled with hunger.  That’s the reaction he liked to get.  But she ordered, “Keep your clothes on.”

“You’re no fun, Car-car.”

She didn’t take her eyes off of him the whole time she put her uniform on.  “No fun?”

He felt the atmosphere around them shift.  He suddenly couldn’t part his eyes even if he wanted to.  “Care to prove me wrong?”

She climbed back on the bed, putting her hand on his chest and pushing him onto his back.  She purred sensually, “Keep your clothes on while I’m gone, Izaya.   And don’t take them off now because…”  She tipped her head down so her lips were against his ear.  “…we wouldn’t have enough time for any real fun.”  She moved her lips back to his and kissed softly.  “We’ll have fun later.”

He was trembling.  The single touch of her lips had sent his body on fire.  Damn, she knew how to drive him crazy.  “Your version of fun…is so cruel…”

She winked playfully and then kissed him again.  This time, he caught her in his hold and kissed her deeply in return.  She didn’t even try to pull away until he thought he was going to suffocate and he let her sit back up.  “Sorry, hun.”

He grinned up at her and asked so suddenly he even surprised himself, “Let me brush your hair, Angel.”

She tipped her head, causing some of those fly-aways to fall back in her face.  “You want to brush my hair?  Izaya, you know that is extremely feminine, right?”

He gaped.  “Are you calling me gay?”

She looked away.  “Er…”

“You are!”  He pushed her up playfully and flipped her, tickling her sides.  She wiggled and thrashed under him, letting out the cutest squeals.  

“Stop!!”  She whined, still fighting back.   “Fine, brushing my hair isn’t gay!”

He jumped up.  “Thank you.”  He grabbed her brush and headband from the bathroom and dropped back on the bed.  He carefully combed through, being especially careful with the tangles – the few that there were.

She glanced at him.  “Izaya, why do you like my hair so much?”

“I’ve obsessed over your hair since the day we met.”  Izaya stated.  “Before we met, actually.  The moment I saw you.  You stood out like no one else.  You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.  Still are.”

She blushed, making her cheeks turn the same color as her hair.  He gently slid her head band behind her ears and kissed her forehead.  “It’s as fiery as your personality, too.”

“That’s a good thing?”  She asked.

“We’ll see.”

She climbed off the bed.  “See you when I get home, Izaya.”

“Can I take my clothes off before you show up to save time?”

She rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Not too soon.”


	57. Carolynn; A Girl Warned

Izaya was on her mind the whole day at school.

She was clearly, crazy-in-love with that boy.

However, there were other things on her mind as well.  A lot of other things.  She watched Kida walk in and sit next to Mikado and Anri without saying a thing to them.

There was that.

Anri looked at her several times without actually talking to her.

And that.

Then there was her job.

But the biggest thing weighing on her mind was

** “She loves you…because you’re like her.” **

Carol shook her head.  What could  her  and Saika possibly have in common?

During their third class period, she shared that class with Kida.  They broke off into pairs for a project and they found themselves working together.  He didn’t say anything.  He looked like something seriously heavy was weighing on his mind.

After several minutes of no conversation, she asked, “Are you okay, Masoami?”

“Huh?”  He blinked and then his mood flipped as he sang, “Of course I’m okay!  I’m working with the hottest chick in the school!  This could only be better if we were at home on a study date, getting all close and cuddly.”

Carol smiled.  Maybe it was just her imagination.  Or…

“Can I ask you something?”  Carol asked.

“Anything.”  Kida started, but then put his hand up.  “Wait, don’t tell me.  You want to know if I’m single.  Let me ask the other twenty girls on my list.”

“No, I wanted to ask about the Yellow Scarves – “

“Why!?” He asked sharply, his eyes narrowed.

She jumped, surprised.   “O-oh.  Um…my friend has been wanting to get involved.  If you knew anything I wanted to try and talk her out of – “

“Don’t let her get involved.  Don’t be involved with anyone who has anything to do with that mess.  They’ll only bring themselves down.”  Suddenly, Carol felt like Kida was talking through her.  “The Yellow Scarves are bad news.  Once you get sucked in…you can never get away.”

“Personal experience?” Carol asked.

“I have nothing to do with them!” Kida screamed.

Carol winced and looked away.  They’d attracted the attention of the whole class.   “Calm down Kida.  I didn’t mean that.  I meant, have you ever gotten sucked into something you couldn’t get out of?”

“Oh…well yeah…”  He whispered, eyes turned away shamefully.

She reached across the desk and touched his hand.  “It’s okay…”

“Mal…”  Kida started.  “Whatever is going on…I need to tell you something.”

“Huh?”  She questioned.

“Get away from Izaya Orihara while you can.  He’ll be the death of you.  He’ll ruin you.”

Carol looked down.  Her lap, her phone that she’d been texting him all day on.  The list of messages he’d sent her over and over that made her smile every time.  The most recent one:

_ I think we should just cuddle and watch a movie all evening.  Love you. _

“He did something horrible to you.”  Carol whispered, looking up at him.  “But people change.  He’s not who he used to be.”

“No!” Kida argued.  “You don’t know him like I did.  He’ll make you think that you’re important and then he’ll destroy you.  He’ll just use you for his enjoyment!”

Her phone went off again.

_ I’m dying without you. _

She smiled more.   She looked at Kida.  “You’re wrong.  You’ll never believe me and I’m not going to try and make you.  But…Izaya…he’s just…a little kid.  He does stupid things and pisses everyone off.  But so does that one child in every class.  The one that’s really just lonely, looking for that one person to give them unconditional attention and love.  Isn’t that just what everyone wants?”

Kida paused.  “Yeah, but – “

There was a commotion and several kids started to gather at the window.  

Kida got up.  “What’s going on?”

The two of them walked over.  In front of the school, the pavilion area where kids were going out for first period lunch, a girl was storming through, throwing people around like they were rag dolls.  

She had a purple bandana in her hair.

Kida’s eyes narrowed.  “Who the hell is that?”

“Dunno.”  Carol headed for the door when Kida snatched her arm.

“What are you doing?”  He asked.

“I’m going to go make her stop.  She’s being a jerk.”

“But – “

She pulled away too quick and went out the door.  She went to the bottom floor and to the pavilion.

Up close, she saw the girl had long black hair and emerald green eyes.  She snarled at each student, demanding to know if they were ‘her’.

Carol dead stopped.  

She knew this girl.

A long time ago.

The girl stopped like she’d known Carol was there.

She turned her furious gaze on her.

“You.”  She said.

Rana Bierl.

She pointed her finger at Carol

Kida looked at her, shocked.  “You know this girl?”

“I did.  A long time ago.”  Carol whispered.

“Where’s your sister?”  Rana demanded.

Her eyebrows went up and she asked, “What do you want my sister for?”

“I have a bone to pick with her.”

Rana had always been violent toward her.  At one point, she, Belle, Carol had been close friends.  During middle school, Rana had taken to a different crowd and turned her back on them.  By high school, she’d become the number one bully that Izaya had defended her from.  She’d disappeared their senior year of high school.

Why was she back now?

Kida asked, “You have a sister!?”

“Yeah.”  Carol admitted, glaring at Rana.  “What do you want with Belle?”

“I want to kill her.”  Rana snarled.

A defensive trill shot up through Carol’s body.  “I don’t think so.  You’re not going to get near her.”

“Are you going to stop me?”

“Do you want to go to jail?”  Carol retorted.  The whole school was gathering around now.  This was no good.  If Rana flipped again…

Everyone could be in danger.

Rana glared at her a moment and then pulled a long pole from her loose cargo pants.  “Fine.  I’ll just beat you and use you as blackmail to get her.”

Just as soon as Rana started for her, another person dove between them.

Mikado held his hands out before Carol.  “Stop!  Don’t fight!  This can be settled calmly.”

“What…is this twig?”  Rana asked.

Carol gritted her teeth.  Why would Mikado jump in the middle of this?  It wasn’t safe.  She grabbed the back of Mikado’s shirt and pulled him back.  “Stop.  You don’t need to get in the middle.”

“But – “

Carol groaned.  “Why does everyone think I need help fighting my own battles?”

“Cause you’re weak.”  Rana snapped.  She put the pole away.  “Tell your sister that I’m looking for her.  And when I find her, I’m going to break her little neck as payback for all the shit she’s put me through.

Belle?

Carol questioned as the girl stomped away.

What could the sister she always admired…what could she have done?


	58. Izaya; A Boy Out of Business

At about noon after Carol left, his phone rang.

“Hello?”  He answered calmly, but he was pretty sure he knew what the call was about.

“Izaya Orihara.  I need a hand.  I got in some trouble and I need a fast way to get some cash.  Hook me up?”

Izaya pulled a couple flakes of lint off his shirt.  “Actually, I can’t.  You see, I’m out of business now.”

“What?”  The guy demanded.

“Yes.  I promised a beautiful woman that I’d never get involved again.”  He stated casually.  “But good luck to you!”

“That’s serious bullshit.  You started this, you better finish it.”  He snapped.  “I don’t care if I have to hunt down this damn whore to set you straight or what but I – “

Izaya’s muscles tensed.  His reaction was too abrupt for him to control.  “What was your name again?”

“Akota Longe.  Gonna help me or not?”

“No.”  Izaya hung up on him and hopped over to his computer.

Within half an hour, he had the police called on a suspected drug dealer at his home named Akota Longe.  He turned off his computer.  “Don’t ever threaten my girl again you bastard.”

He tossed his phone on the couch and went back to watching some cartoons.

At two, he left to go meet Carol at school.

When they let out at 2:30, she seemed surprised to see him.  “Izaya?”

“Hey, Angel.  Want company?”

She giggled.  “You just couldn’t wait, huh?”

“I missed you way too much.”  The moment she was down the steps, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.  She leaned on him with a gentle sigh.

“I have to go to the station first, you know?”  She asked, her hand sliding down and finding his.  The second he felt her soft skin touch his, a warm tingling spread through his body.  He tipped his head and kissed the side of her face.

“I’ll wait outside like a good boy.”

“You don’t have to wait on me.  You didn’t have to come get me either.”

“So?”  He kissed across her cheek and to her lips.  “I’m more than willing to go out of my way…if it means even just a few extra minutes with you.”

She blushed, looking adorable.  He was aware of the kids staring as they walked around them, leaving school and heading home.  Her eyes twinkled in that sensual way.  “You’re buttering up for something.”

He stepped back and spread his arms.  “Oh, you know, the usual – just wanting you to take off your clothes with me, to – “

Carol covered his mouth suddenly and shushed him.  Her face was cherry red, making him laugh out loud.  He took her arm and pulled her closer.  “Hurry up and let’s get to the station so you can come home.”

Carol pecked his lips before they headed there, hand in hand.

It was boring waiting for her, but it was worth it, too.

After an hour to an hour and a half, she came back out and ran a hand through her hair.  It fell back and a couple wisps just lingered across her face.  He stood up and automatically, like it was programmed in his blood to do so, brushed those strands and away and kissed where they had touched.  “How’d it go, Angel?”

She smiled and clasped his hands with her own.  “Wonderful.  I got another case.”

He frowned.  “How is that wonderful?”

Carol rolled her crimson eyes and  rested her forehead on his chin while her fingers danced along the palms of his hands.  “It’s wonderful because it means the drama in the town is dying down.  This one is just a standard case.  Nothing crazy – like the Slasher.”

“Is it safe?”  He asked, starting to pull her along so they could go home.  He was anxious to get back and spend time with her.

“It’s just a run of auto theft in the downtown district.  Reports say that the guy each time was wearing a leather jacket with the logo of the downtown Kold Chill Bar.”  Carol explained.  “They want me to go check it out and see if I find anything susupicious.”

His frown deepened.  The thought of her, as attractive as she was, going into a bar of that caliber alone made him sick.  All he could think about was the multitude of guys that would be hitting on her, trying to make moves.  “I think I should assist you.”

“No, you’ll only make a scene.”  Carol scolded.  “Besides, I’ve got a partner.”

“Please tell me that it’s not Steven.”  Izaya groaned.

Carol gave him a weak smile.  “He’s assigned to be.”

Izaya rolled his eyes and turned the other way.  “You’re killing me, Carolynn.”  He kept a hold of her hand as he started walking home.  “I think I should get a say in what cases you take.”

“Izaya…”

“None.  That sounds good.”  He joked, smiling back at her over his shoulder.  “Right?”

She shook her head.  “No, it doesn’t.”

He sighed heavily and trotted on into the building where he stayed.  They took the elevator to his level.  Inside the elevator, he felt her unlace their hands and wrap her arms around him.  Her head fell on his shoulder as she squeezed him tight.  He smiled softly.  “You’re so cute…”

“I love you.”  She whispered.

“I love you, too.”  He told her, kissing the top of her head.

Izaya gasped and sat up when he shook himself from a nightmare.  For some reason, all of that day,  that phone call replayed in his head.  Was he putting Carol in more danger by burning his bridges?  Would people really go after her?

He went to lay back down and curl up around her when he realized she wasn’t laying there.  His breath caught in his throat and he threw himself out of bed.  He shoved open the bedroom door and stared in awe.

She was standing in the kitchen.  She had on a long red shirt and, he knew, blue shorts under, but he couldn’t see them cause of the length of the shirt.  She was standing in front of the skillet on the stove.  Looking at him over her shoulder, she asked, “What’s wrong…Izaya?”

“You’re okay…”

She blinked and turned the stove down and walked over to him.  “Yeah, I’m – “

He threw his arms around her and held her as tight as he could.  He could feel how stiff she was in his arms and her questioning voice fell on his ear.  “Izaya, what’s going on?  What’s wrong?”

He pushed her back just an inch so he could stroke her face and know she was really still there.  That the guy hadn’t come for her.  He looked down.  “I can’t run away from all of this so easily.”

Carol tipped her head, questioning, but never once moved away from his touch.

“Yesterday…I got a call.”  He spoke slowly, bringing her back into his arms.  “When I said I was backing down, he threatened to come here…and kill you.”  His hold tightened when he felt her start to react and pull back.  “I try to pretend like I’m unstoppable and can protect you, but…Carol, I’m so scared right now.  I’m scared I’m going to lose you because I was so stupid.”

She cupped his cheeks so suddenly he gasped.  She looked him directly in the eyes.  “Izaya Orihara.  Do you want your eggs scrambled?”

He stared at her questioningly.  “Wha…?  Er, yeah…?”

She turned away and went back to the eggs.  She whispered, “Izaya, neither of us can take back our past.  I’ve been trying for years.  We all make mistakes.  You can’t regret them because they shape who you are.  We’re living together now.  We’ll face our problems together.  Okay?   No more fighting each other.  I don’t expect you to do everything…to keep anything from ever happening.  No one could expect that of you.  Just do your best.  That’s all.  If trouble comes in the future, we’ll deal with it then.  Don’t dwell on it, honey.”

He stared at Carol.  Any time he ever thought he couldn’t love her more, he was proved wrong.  She was perfect…in every way.

He walked up behind her as she continued with the eggs and he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the back of her head.  “You never cease to amaze me, Carolynn Selph.  I can’t stop loving you.”

She kept working like he wasn’t even there.  “I just want you to live for the moment.  Don’t think too hard on the future, or linger on the past.  You know what is important right now?”

“What?”

She turned to face him, holding up the skillet.  “I love you.  And these eggs.  Get a couple plates.”

“Yes, Angel.”


End file.
